Am I the One?
by slexieotpforever
Summary: We all know Merlin. But what if he had a sister? What if she had and even greater destiny and powers than him? What if she falls in love with the one and only Prince Arthur? What will happen when he finds out that she has magic? What will happen when Uther finds out about their relationship? Arthur/OC
1. Beautiful

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Merlin and I were walking together along the road that led to Camelot. We finally reached our destination. We stopped in front of the front gates, and I stared in amazement. It was beautiful. I saw many people going in the same direction, so I grabbed Merlin by his arm, and dragged him the same way to see what the whole fuss was about. When we got there, we were in front of the castle, where there was a huge crowd of people. There was something in the middle, but I couldn't see what it was since there was too many people around me. Then, I heard the horns blowing, and right after that drums playing. I looked to my right, and saw two guards holding a man, with his hands chained behind his back. They led him up the stairs of the platform, and then I realized what was going on. He was going to be executed.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all." I looked to my left, and saw the King standing on the balcony. "This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of consuming to use enchantments, and magic. And pursuing to the laws of Camelot I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned, on penalty of death. I pride myself a fair and just King. But for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass." With that speech, he nodded toward the guards. I looked in that direction, and saw them forcing Thomas on his knees, and forcing his head on the log. I gripped Merlin's hand so hard, that I thought I heard his bones cracking. The Cut rose the ax in his hands, and obviously waited for the King's command. I couldn't stand to look anymore, so I buried my face in Merlin's shoulder, and he put his arm around me in a comforting way. I don't even know what happened, but I heard everyone gasp, so I'm guessing that everything was over. "When I came to this land," I looked up at the King again. "this kingdom was mired in chaos. But with the people's help, magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival, to celebrate 20 years from when the Great Dragon was captured, and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery... Let the celebrations begin!" When he finished, everyone turned around to leave, but froze dead in their tracks once we heard wailing and weeping of a woman. People moved out of her way, and now she was standing in the middle of the crowd. She was an old woman, and had tears in her eyes.

"There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic... It is you! With your hatred, and your ignorance... You just took my son!" She sobbed, pointing to where the dead body was, and I felt really bad for her. "But I promise you, before the celebrations are over you'll share my tears! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a son, for son!" She said, or actually threatened, her voice cracking at the end.

"Seize her!" The King ordered, and guards started running towards her, but before they could get to her, she muttered a spell under her breath, and vanished into thin air. The King left immediately, as did everyone else.

"Come on, let's go." Merlin said softly, and I nodded, wiping the tear I didn't even realize that fell on my cheek. We walked towards two guards that were standing near the entrance. I stopped in front of the one on the right and smiled.

"Where will we find Gaius, the Court Physician?" I asked politely, and he just stood there, gawking at me, until the other guard hit him in the arm, and he snapped out of it.

"There." He told me, pointing to the stairs behind him, completely ignoring Merlin. I smiled at him one more time, and then I felt Merlin's hand grab mine, and pulling me behind him.

"Would you stop that?" He asked, and I looked at him innocently.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him with an innocent smile on my face.

"Stop flirting." Well, that shocked me.

"I was not flirting!" He just rolled his eyes, and continued pulling me upstairs. "Merlin! I'm not even pretty! How am I supposed to flirt? Even if I wanted to, I can't." I told him, because that is what I honestly think.

"Anna! Are you blind?! Every single man literally falls at your feet! You are a beautiful, young woman, and you need to see that!" He told me, and all I saw in his eyes was honesty, so I just sighed and kept walking.


	2. Oh, God

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

We finally reached the Court Physician's chambers. Merlin opened the door and let me pass first. We looked around the room, and I was shocked by the amount of books and potions. There was at least 300 books, and about 1000 potions all over the place. We both looked around, but we didn't see anyone.

"Hello?" Merlin called quietly, walking into the room.

"Hello?" I called a little louder than Merlin, but still in a quiet tone. "Hello?" I heard shuffling above me, so I looked up, and saw someone on the balcony, going over some of the books. "Gaius?" I asked, but it seemed as though the man didn't hear me. We couldn't get his attention, so Merlin cleared his throat. Gaius obviously heard, and turned his head, but he also leaned on the railing, and he was probably too heavy, because it broke and he fell off the balcony. I felt my eyes flash gold, and I knew that I was doing what instinct told me to do. Saving this man's life. The magic that I used slowed his fall down, whilst Merlin looked around for something that we could move so he could fall on it instead of crashing on the floor and most probably: dying. He apparently found something, because I saw something sliding on the floor from the corner of my eye. I looked at it, and saw that it was a bed, so I used my magic and moved it right under Gaius. I then stopped using my magic, and so did Merlin. Gaius fell on the bed along with some wooden sticks from the railing.

"Wha-What did you just do?!"He exclaimed, but not accusingly. Curiously.

"Um." Merlin choked out, obviously not knowing what to say.

"Tell me!" Gaius demanded, getting up from the bed.

"We have no idea what happened." I said, trying to make him believe that what I'm saying is true.

"If anyone has seen that..." Gaius said, walking around the room, looking up at the balcony, and back down at the bed.

"No! That was-that was nothing to do with us!" Merlin exclaimed.

"I know what it was! I just want to know where you learned how to do it." Gaius exclaimed.

"Nowhere!" I denied, shaking my head.

"So how is it that you know magic?" He asked curiously.

"We don't" Merlin exclaimed, shaking his head. Gaius started breathing heavily.

"Where did you study?" He asked curiously. We didn't say anything. "Answer me!" He demanded.

"We-we never studied magic, or been taught." I explained.

"Are you lying to me, girl?" Gaius asked quietly.

"What do you want me to say?" I asked desperately.

"The truth!" He exclaimed.

"We were born like this." I said.

"That's impossible!" Gaius exclaimed, and looked around the room. He probably still thought that we were lying. "Who are you?" He demanded.

"Oh! Um-we have this letter..." Merlin muttered, searching through his backpack. He finally found it, and gave it to Gaius.

"I... I don't have my glasses." Gaius said, still holding the letter in his hand.

"I'm Annabelle, and this is Merlin." I said politely, gesturing to my brother. Recognition flashed in Gaius's eyes.

"Hunith's children?!" He exclaimed.

"Yes!" Merlin exclaimed, obviously relieved that he remembers.

"But you're not meant to be here until Wednesday." Gaius said with a smile on his face.

"It is... Wednesday." I told him, realizing that he is old and might not remember few things.

"Ah! Alright then. Well, you better put your bags in there." He said, gesturing to a small door in the back of the room. We nodded, and started walking towards the door. I stopped half-way, and turned to Gaius.

"Um, you won't say anything about..." I trailed off, and gestured to the balcony and the bed. He looked at it, and nodded.

"No." He finally answered, and I smiled at him. I started walking away. "Although Annabelle... I should probably say thank you." He said with a smile on his face, and I smiled at him as well. Then, I went to the room where my brother was. I walked in and looked around. It was a small, comfortable room with two beds and a window on the left side. My bed was across form Merlin's. Mine was on the left, his was on the right. In between was a small table with candles on it. I went over to the window, stepped on the stool, and looked out. It was already dark, and Camelot looked absolutely beautiful at night. I looked at Merlin, and gestured for him to come closer. He did, and I stepped off the stool, allowing him to stand on it, and look out the window.

"It's beautiful." he said, turning around to face me. I nodded in agreement.

"It is." I then walked to his bed and grabbed my bag. I took out my nightgown and walked behind the screen. I took of my dress, and changed into my nightgown. I wasn't embarrassed, since I was behind the screen. Besides, Merlin is my brother. I then got into the bed, and blew the candles on the table.

"Goodnight, Merlin." I said and closed my eyes.

"Goodnight, Annabelle." He said quietly. I smiled, and drifted of to the land of dreams.

*Gaius's P.O.V.*

I put on my glasses and took the letter Merlin gave to me. I sat on my bench, opened the letter, and started reading.

_My Dear Gaius,_  
_I turn to you for I feel lost, and alone, and don't know who to trust. It is every Mother's faith that their child was special, and yet I would give my life that Annabelle and Merlin were not so. Ours is a small village, and if they were to stay, I fear what would become of them. Especially Annabelle. Her power is much greater and stronger than Merlin's. I can see that. They both need a hand, a voice to guide. Someone who could help them with their gifts. I beg you, if you understand a Mother's love for her children, keep them safe. And may God save you three._  
_Love,_  
_Hunith_

I put the letter away, and took off my glasses, sighing. This girl surely is something special.


	3. Merlin Don't

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Annabelle... Annabelle..." I opened my eyes, groaned. My mind must be playing tricks on me, because I could have sworn that I heard a voice calling my name. I turned around, and saw Merlin awake too. I smiled at him.

"Good morning." I said quietly, and he turned to look at me.

"Good morning." he answered quietly with a smile. Then, he got out of bed, and walked behind the screen. I closed my eyes, and turned to lay on my back. I was thinking about the strange voice, and that's when I heard the door open, and close. I opened my eyes, and saw that the room was empty. Merlin must have already left for breakfast, so I got out of bed and grabbed my bag from the floor. I looked through my cloths, when I found a perfect dress for today. I always sewed my own clothes, because we din't have money to buy the dresses that look really nice, and I absolutely love clothes. So I decided to just get a cheap material and sew it so that it will look nice and expensive. I went behind the screen, and got dressed. Then, I walked over to the mirror on the wall, and did my hair. Then, I slipped on my shoes, and walked out of the room.

"Well, we better keep you out of trouble. You can help me until I find some payed work for you." I heard Gaius say, and I looked up, only to see Merlin wiping the floor, and Gaius carrying two potions in his hands. I wonder why the floor is wet. "Here. Holy-Hocken feverfiew for Lady Percival, and this is for Sir Olven. He's as blind as a weasel, so warn him not to drink it all at once." He said, placing the two potions on the table. We nodded in understanding. "And here." He said, giving each of us a sandwich. "Off you go." He said, motioning to the door. We smiled at him, and then I grabbed the feverfiew for Lady Percival, and Merlin grabbed the potion for Sir Olven. "And Merlin, Anna! I need heart to tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed." We nodded. Then, we walked out the door together.

Once we got to the main hall, I went to the left, and Merlin went to the right. I saw a guard patrolling the corridor, so I went up to him.

"Excuse me? Where can I find Lady Percival?" I asked politely, and he smiled at me.

"You have to go all the way to the end of this corridor, and then turn left. It's the second door on the right." He explained, and I smiled at him.

"Thank you."

"Your welcome. Always here to help beautiful ladies such as yourself." He said, and I blushed slightly. I nodded at him one more time, and then I took the path that he told me to, and after a minute or two of walking, I reached the door of Lady Percival's chambers. I knocked softly on the door, and waited for about 30 seconds until the door opened. I looked up and saw a woman in her 50's, in a beautiful golden gown. She smiled warmly at me, and I smiled back and curtsied.

"Hello, Lady Percival. Gaius sent me to give you this feverfiew." I explained, and she nodded in understanding.

"Oh yes! Thank you. May I ask what's your name?" She asked me politely, and I smiled. She reminded me of a sweet Grandmother that I always wanted to have. Unfortunately my only Grandmother died couple of years ago.

"My name is Annabelle."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful young lady. Thank you, Annabelle." She said, and I nodded, curtsied, and then left.

I walked out on the courtyard, and then out through the castle gates. I decided to do a little exploring, since I'm going to live here from now on. Right outside the castle gates, I saw my brother talking to a young, handsome man with blonde hair and blue eyes. I immediately knew that he was in trouble. Typical. First day in a new place, and he already got into trouble. I walked towards them to be able to hear the conversation.

"Tell me, Merlin. Do you know how to walk on your knees?" The blonde man asked my brother in a daring tone.

"No." My brother replied in a pretty sassy tone.

"Would you like me to help you?" The man asked with a smirk on his face.

"I wouldn't if I were you." Merlin said in a threatening tone. The man snickered.

"Why? What're you gonna do to me?" He teased.

"You have no idea." Merlin replied in a threatening tone. The man chuckled, and I stepped closer.

"Be my guest!" The man exclaimed. "Come on. Come on. Come oooooonnn!" He taunted, and I saw my brother get irritated.

"Merlin... Don't." I whispered to myself, but it was too late. He threw a punch at the man, but he quickly dodged it twisted his arm to the back. "Oh, no."

"I'll get you in jail for that." The man said, and my brother got even more irritated.

"Who do you think you are, the King?!" He exclaimed, and I saw the man tighten his grip on my brother's arm.

"No I'm his son... Arthur." He hissed in Merlin's ear, but I still heard it. Merlin's face turned into shock, and I'm pretty sure mine did as well. Arthur kneed my brother in his knees, and he fell on the ground. He then motioned for two guards to come over, and when they did, he literally threw Merlin at them. They grabbed him, and then dragged him somewhere. I'm guessing to the cells. I walked over to Arthur, and when he saw me along with his knights, all of their expressions turned from smirks, to astonishment. I don't understand why. Arthur then stepped forward. "And who might you be?" He asked in a rude but flirtatious tone. I faked a smile in his direction, because I really didn't want to end up like my brother.

"I'm Annabelle. Merlin's sister." I hissed the last part, and his expression turned back to shock. I don't know why. Maybe he couldn't believe that I'm Merlin's sister. Whilst they were in shock, I just faked another smile, curtsied, and left to go get Gaius and see if he could do anything about this.


	4. Okay You Are An Idiot

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I ran into Gaius's chambers, completely out ob breath. Gaius looked up, startled. When he saw my expression, his expression stayed calm, but his eyes held panic.

"Anna, what's wrong?!" I held my finger up to let him know that he has to wait a minute so that I could catch my breath. After about 20 seconds, I was finally able to speak.

"Gaius... It's Merlin!" I said, and he looked at me, confused. I then started explaining. "He threw a punch at the King's son, and he threw him into jail!" Gaius sighed heavily.

"I should have expected that. He just can't stay out of trouble, can he?" He exclaimed, putting down the potion he was working on. Then, he grabbed something from the table, and started walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?!" I called, when he opened the door. He turned to look at me.

"I'm going to go and try to get Merlin out of there." He explained.

"And, how are you going to do that?" I asked curiously. He sighed.

" I don't know yet." He said, and with that he walked out the door. I sighed heavily, and slumped onto a chair. How could Merlin be so stupid?! He shouldn't even get into fights with a knight, let alone the King's son! But I still wonder why he did that. My brother might be impulsive, but he wouldn't get into a fight without a reason... I think.

*Late at night*

Gaius still hasn't come back yet, and I'm starting to get really tired. It's almost midnight for God's sake! My brother is such an idiot! Why couldn't he just walk away?! The one thing that a person like him should do, is keep his head down, not insult and get into a fight with the King's son! Right when I thought this, the door opened and Gaius came in. He looked at me, and sighed.

"Merlin will be out of jail tomorrow in the morning." He said, and I sighed in relief. "But," Oh no."he will have to be in the stocks for the whole day." He finished with a chuckle, and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Well..." I trailed off. "He deserves it!" I exclaimed, and Gaius laughed. I jumped off of the chair, and started walking towards my room. "Goodnight, Gaius!" I called over my shoulder.

"Goodnight, my dear." I heard a reply, and I smiled as I walked into the room, and closed the door. I felt my eyes flash gold, and all the candles lit. I smiled, and walked behind the screen to change into my nightgown. Once I did that, I stepped in front of the mirror, and washed my face with the water from the bowl on the dresser. Then, I put my hair down and brushed them. After I was done with that, I jumped into my bed, and felt my eyes flash gold. All the candles went out, and I smiled as I closed my eyes.

*Next Day*

"Annabelle..." I opened my eyes rapidly, and sat up in my bed. This is the same voice I heard yesterday. "Annabelle..." It called again, and I shot out of the bed. "Annabelle..." This time, I listened carefully, and noticed that it was coming from under the floor. Before I could do anything, Gaius entered the room. I smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"Get dressed, Anna. As soon as we eat breakfast we're going to get your brother." He said, and I nodded, smiling even wider. He walked out and closed the door. I grabbed my bag, and searched for couple of seconds for a dress for today. When I found the one I liked, I stepped behind the screen, and got dressed. I then walked over to the mirror and did a simple hairstyle, and once I was done with that, I walked out of the room and ate breakfast with Gaius. We ate in comfortable silence, and when we were done I quickly grabbed and washed our plates, dismissing Gaius's protests. Then, we both left to go get Merlin. Apparently, Gaius talked to Arthur and persuaded him into letting Merlin out.

"How did you persuade him?" I asked curiously, because I really thought it was impossible to persuade the King's son to do anything.

"Well, I said that he should be released since he really didn't know what he was doing, and that it won't happen again." He explained, and I nodded. That seemed possible. "I also said that if he wants to get your attention he should be nicer to your brother." I almost choked on air when I heard that.

"I beg your pardon?" I chocked out, absolutely shocked at the words that just left his mouth.

"Don't act as if it's not true, my dear child. Every single man is falling at your feet the moment he sees you." Gaius said, pointing to the guard that was patrolling the corridor with his eyes glued to me. I just sighed and shook my head, dismissing the subject. The rest of the walk was silent, since I still couldn't get over what Gaius told me. When we got to the dungeons, Gaius told him about everything, and the guard nodded.

"Follow me." He said, smiling at me, and completely ignoring Gaius, which I found very rude. We followed him obediently, and he grabbed the keys and lead us to a cell. He opened the door, and I saw my brother sitting on the ground.

"Merlin!"I exclaimed, running over to him, and giving him a hug. He hugged me back tightly, and looked at Gaius behind me.

"Y-ah... You never cease to amaze me! The one thing that someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do? You behave like an idiot!" He scolded him, and Merlin looked down guilty.

"I'm sorry, both of you." He said, and I smiled. No matter how hard I try, I just can't stay mad at him for too long.

"You're lucky. Gaius managed to pull a few strings to get you released." I said smiling, and Merlin looked at me and Gaius with shock and happiness written all over his face.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" He exclaimed, and Gaius looked at him. "I won't forget this." Merlin said with a smile.

"Well, there is a small price to pay." Gaius said with a smirk, and I giggled. Merlin looked at me questioningly. I just smirked. This will surely teach him a lesson.


	5. Nice to Meet You

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I watched as Merlin was sitting in the stocks, with pieces of vegetables in his hair. The kids that were throwing the food at him just left, and I saw Gaius walking by and laughing. I chuckled and walked over to Merlin, when I saw a pretty girl about my age walking over to us. She had an olive skin, brown eyes, and dark brown curly hair that was put into a bun. She was wearing a red cloak, and from what I could see, her clothing was done pretty well. She must be one of the personal servants in the castle. When she got over to us, she smiled and I smiled back.

"I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen? I'm the Lady Morgana's maid?" She introduced herself. I smiled at her.

"I'm Annabelle, but most people call me Anna."I introduced myself and shook her hand. She smiled at me and looked over at Merlin.

"I'm Merlin." He said, and tried to extend his left hand for her to shake, but it didn't really work because of the chains on his wrists, so Gwen just chuckled and shook his left hand with a smile."But most people just call me Idiot." He said, and I chuckled. Gwen shook her head.

"No, no, no, I saw what you did. That was so brave!" She exclaimed, and Merlin shook his head.

"It was stupid." He said, and I smiled to myself. Maybe he did learn his lesson after all.

"Well, I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him." Gwen said, and Merlin's head shot up.

"Oh, I could beat him." He said confidently, and I chuckled to myself. Is he trying to impress her?

"You think?" She asked, doubtfully. "Because you don't look like one of these big, muscly kind of fellows." At this point, I really had to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.

"Thanks." He said sarcastically, but I could hear a faint sound of hurt in it. Gwen must have heard it too.

"No! No, I-I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just, um... Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, save-the-world kind of men, and... Well..." She hesitated.

"What?" Merlin inquired.

"You don't look like that." She blurted out. Merlin looked around and then motioned for her to step closer. When she did, he looked at her mysteriously.

"I'm in disguise." he said quietly, and Gwen looked at him for a second, and then started laughing. Merlin joined her, and I just kept staring at him.

"Well, it's great that you stood up to him." Gwen said with a smile.

"You think so?" Merlin asked with a smile. He definitely was proud with himself now.

"Arthur's a bully? And, everyone thought you were a real hero." She said smiling.

"Really?" My brother asked, his voice full of hope. Gwen smiled even more, and nodded. Merlin and I then saw more kids running over to us with buckets full of vegetables. "Oh, excuse me, Guinevere. My fans are waiting." He said, pointing to the kids. Gwen looked over to them, smiled at him one more time, and then ran away, probably so that she wouldn't get hit with anything. I stepped back, and sat on the stool. Merlin waved to Gwen, and that's when the kids started throwing the vegetables at him. They were laughing, and I just sat there, and watched Merlin. Will he ever learn to be careful?


	6. Why?

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

After Merlin washed the vegetables out of his hair we sat at the table to eat our lunch. Gaius came towards us, carrying a bowl in his hand.

"Do you want some vegetables with that?" he asked Merlin with a smirk. Merlin and I both chuckled.

"I know you're still angry with me." Merlin said to Gaius and me. I smiled and shook my head.

"I'm not anymore. I think you learned your lesson by sitting in the stocks." I told him with a slight chuckle. He smiled at me, and then looked over to Gaius.

"Your mother asked me to look after you two." He said and we nodded.

"Yes." Merlin said quietly more to himself than to me and Gaius.

"What did your mother say to you about your gifts?" Gaius asked us.

"That we were... Special?" I said, with a little smile on my face.

"You are special." He told us. "Unlike some of which I have seen before." I looked at him.

"What do you mean?" I asked, not really knowing if I wanted to hear the answer.

"Well..." Gaius started nonchalantly. "Magic requires incantations, spells that take years to study, what I saw you two do was... Elemental instinct." Merlin and I nodded.

"What's the point if it can't be used?" My brother asked.

"Ah that, I do not know... You are a question that has never been posed before... Especially you, Anna." My head shot up.

"What?" I chocked out.

"Well, as far as what I saw your magic is stronger than Merlin's. Even when you two saved my life, you were the one doing most of the work." He told me. " How did you do that?"

"I don't know... That's what instinct told me to do." I shrugged in reply. Gaius nodded.

"You see? You are using magic for good on instinct. A very powerful magic. You could probably save many more people from an even greater danger." He told me, and I nodded slowly.

"Did you ever study magic?" I asked, desperately wanting to know the answer. I mean, if he knew so much about it, he must have studied it at some point.

"Uther banned all such work 20 years ago." He said with a little frown.

"Why?" Merlin and I exclaimed. Why would someone ban magic. It's beautiful if you know how to use it.

"People used magic for the wrong at that time. It threw the natural order into chaos." He explained. "Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then. Even the dragons." We looked at him in shock.

"Wha-All of them?" I asked shocked.

"There was one dragon he chose not to kill. He kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave, deep beneath the castle... Where no one can free it." I took all these news to heart. We really have to be careful, now that we live in the castle. If the King hates magic so much, I don't think it's very safe for us in here. "Ah, eat up. When you finish, I need you two to take a preparation to Lady Helen, she needs it for her voice." We both nodded, and started eating. But I couldn't help thinking about everything that Gaius told us. What's going to happen?... If we even survive in here. How are we supposed to live in her if we can't be ourselves?


	7. Strange

**Alright, first of all, I wanted to thank Narnian Dreams. Thank you for the sweet reviews, and the encouragement. I really appreciate it!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Merlin and I were walking down the hallway of the castle. I was carrying the preparation for Lady Helen in my right hand, and Merlin was walking on my left. We weren't talking at all, since we were too busy looking at the sight around us. It was really magnificent. I have never seen anything like it. It's hard to believe that the same man that built a wonderful castle like this can be so cruel to execute someone just because they're different. But I couldn't help but wonder... Why does he hate magic so much? I mean, there must be a reason. A man can't just have so much hate in him without a reason... Right?

My thoughts were interrupted when we reached the door to Lady Helen's chambers. Merlin opened the door for me, and I stepped inside. He followed me shortly after. I took about 5 seconds to look around. The room wasn't big, but it was elegant. In the middle was a dresser with a mirror. But what looked a little strange to me was that more than half of it was covered with a piece of cloth. There was also a vase with flowers on the far right corner of the dresser, so I just stepped forward and put the preparation on it, right next to the vase. Merlin was waiting by the door, and I was about to turn around and go over to him, but something stopped me. Right next to where I put the preparation, was a doll made out of hay. But it wasn't an ordinary doll... It was a voodoo doll! I might not be an expert in magic, but I do know that voodoo dolls are used in dark magic.

"Merlin!" I called, and he looked at me. "You might want to see this." He looked at me for a second, and then came over to where I was standing. I passed the doll to him, and he started examining it. I looked around for anything else that was out of the ordinary, and my eyes fell on a box and a piece of cloth under it. But there was something else under all of this. I lifted the box and the cloth, and placed it right next to the vase. It was a book. I picked it up and examined it. It was tied with a string, but I could see that the book itself was filled with many papers. The weirdest thing about this book though, was that I could feel a little bit of magic radiating off of it. I was about to untie the string, when I heard footsteps from right next to the door. I exchanged a quick glance with Merlin and quickly place everything like it was before. We finished right in time, because when we turned around, Lady Helen was stepping into the room. She looked at the dresser for a moment and then looked at us.

"What are you doing in here?" She asked with a slightly threatening tone. Merlin and I looked at each other for a moment, and then I turned around and grabbed the preparation from the dresser. I turned back around and looked at her with a smile. Fake smile.

"We were asked to deliver this." I said, handing her the preparation. She looked at it for couple of seconds, and then looked back at me. I smiled once again, and she faked a small smile back. I curtsied, grabbed Merlin's hand, and dragged him out of the room.

Once we were in the hallway, I looked at him, and he looked back at me.

"Strange..." I muttered, and he nodded in agreement.

"Very." We looked back at the door that lead to Lady Helen's chambers, and then started walking. I looked at Merlin.

"Why don't we go outside and explore the town?" I asked with a smiled on my face. He looked at me, and nodded with a smile.

"Alright." I smiled at him, and we both headed towards the front entrance of the castle. Whilst, we were walking, I literally bumped into Gwen by accident, making her drop the clothes she was carrying. We both looked at each other for a few seconds and then chuckled.

"Sorry, Gwen."I laughed, and she laughed with me. I knelt down to pick up the clothes, and she joined me, still laughing.

"It's alright, Anna. I actually wanted to see you." She said with a smile, and I looked at her. Merlin knelt next to me, and started helping us.

"Why?" I asked.

"I wanted to introduce you to Morgana." She said with a smile, and I looked over to her in shock.

"You mean the _Lady_ Morgana?" I asked and she nodded, smiling.

"I told her about you, and she said that she would love to meet you." I thought about it for a second. From what I've heard, Lady Morgana is very nice and lovely so... Why not?

"Of course." I told her with a smile. She smiled back and grabbed the clothes from Merlin.

"Alright. You can come with me right now." I smiled and nodded. I then looked over to Merlin.

"Are you going to be alright by yourself this time?" I asked, and he smiled and nodded. I smiled, and he kissed my forehead. I grabbed the rest of the clothes from the floor, and looked at Gwen. "Alright then, shall we?" She smiled at me and nodded. We walked through many corridors, and then Gwen finally stopped in front of the doors.

"My Lady?" She called, and I looked around the chambers. They were absolutely beautiful. I then heard footsteps, so I looked towards the sound. From behind the screen came out a beautiful girl about a year or two older than me. She had long, wavy, black hair and large, gray eyes. Her skin was fair and pale, and her lips were pink and plump.

"Oh Gwen, you're back. And who's this?" She asked with a kind tone, and a smile on her face.

"My Lady, this is Annabelle." Gwen introduced me with a smile, and I curtsied.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, My Lady." I said with a smile, and she looked at me with a kind expression.

"You as well, Annabelle. Please, call me Morgana." I smiled and nodded.

"Please, call me Anna." I said with a smile, and we all chuckled. Maybe my life in here won't be so bad after all.

"Gwen spoke very highly of you, and I really couldn't wait to meet you." Morgana said with a smile, and I glared playfully at Gwen. She just looked at me with an innocent smile.

"Well, My Lady I'll put these clothes away for you." Gwen said with a smile, and Morgana nodded.

"I'll help you, Gwen." I offered, and Gwen smiled at me.

After we put the clothes away, I heard something outside, so I stepped over to the window, and saw Merlin and Arthur fighting. Again! But this time, they were holding weapons!

"Oh no!" I muttered, but Gwen and Morgana still heard me.

"What's going on?" They both asked with a worried expression.

"My brother got in trouble... Again" I said, shaking my head in disbelief. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow... I think." I told them, and they both nodded their heads in understanding. I smiled at them one more time, and then ran out the door. What was Merlin thinking?!


	8. What!

**I just wanted to quickly thank anyone who sent me reviews on this story! I really appreciate it!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I walked quickly towards the crowd of people next to the town market. I pushed through many people, but they didn't seem to notice, as they watched the King's son and my brother fight. I stopped once I was in front of the crowd. I looked around desperately. There must be something that I can do to stop them, before they kill each other! Suddenly, my eyes fell on a rope that was on a hook on a wall. I quickly stood on a stool next to the wall and grabbed the rope. I swirled it couple times around my head and threw it at the mace in Arthur's hand once my brother was on the floor, and he was standing in front of him ready to strike. Once the rope fell on it, I quickly pulled it, along with the mace in Arthur's hand. Merlin stared at me, but I couldn't read his expression. It seemed as if though he was happy that I saved his butt, but was angry at the same time, since I didn't let him fight Arthur.

The King's son whipped around and stared at me with shock and anger written all over his face. The crowd silenced and was now staring at me as well. I ignored all the stares and just stared at my brother with disappointment. He looked down, ashamed. Arthur then turned to me.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He yelled outraged. I just looked at him blankly.

"I'm stopping you from killing my brother." I replied.

"You have no right to do that!" He yelled at me. Doesn't he have any manners?

"Yes, actually I do if it's my brother we're talking about." I replied calmly. I saw Gaius out of the corner of my eye.

"Do you know who I am?!" He asked, raising his head high. I just stared at him.

"First of all, please stop yelling." I said in a soft tone. His eyes seemed to soften a little bit, so I continued. "And second of all... Yes I do, Sire." I said curtsying, but still holding the mace in my hand. He looked at me, actually looking pleased. "But that doesn't change the fact that this is my brother and I won't let you continue the fight. No matter who you are." He stared at me for a couple of seconds, but then nodded and stepped aside, letting Merlin get back on his feet and walk towards me. Once my brother was at my side, Arthur turned around to leave. "My Lord!" I called, and he turned around to look at me questioningly. I just shrugged and threw the mace at him. He caught it and looked back at me. "I think you should have this back." I said with a small smile. He smiled a small, real, warm smile at me, and then left. I turned around, and pushed Merlin in front of me, leading him towards the castle, with Gaius following closely behind us, and leaving the shocked crowd behind us.

*Gaius's Chambers*

Merlin threw the door to Gaius's chambers open and barged in with me following, whilst Gaius continued scolding him behind us.

"How could you be so foolish?!"

"He needed to be taught a lesson." My brother replied, trying to control his breathing and temper. Gaius closed the door with a loud bang.

"Magic must be studied, mastered in use for good, not for idiotic things!" He yelled, scolding my brother like a little child. I saw Merlin loosing his temper. He turned to face our guardian.

"What is it to master? We could move objects like that before we could talk!" He exclaimed. I just stood to the side and watched the two of them arguing, not wanting to get involved.

"Then by now you should know how to control yourself!" Gaius exclaimed. That's when my brother lost it.

"I don't want to! If I can't use magic what have I got?!" Gaius's expression softened, but my turned into complete shock. I didn't know that he felt this way. "I'm just a nobody. And I always will be... Anna's different, she might even marry a King with her beauty and become a Queen, but if I can't use magic... I might as well die." With that speech he turned on his heel and walked into our room. He closed the door and left me and Gaius standing with shock written all over our faces. Mine had also hurt on it. Did he really feel this way? And if he did... Why did he never tell me?

I looked at Gaius for a split second before running to Merlin and I's room. What I saw after I opened the door broke my heart. My older brother was lying on his bed with his face down. I closed the door quietly behind me and silently walked over to him. I slowly sat on his bed and he lifted his head to look at me. His face was heart broken, and he had tears in his eyes.

"Oh Merlin." I whispered and wrapped my arms around him. He snuggled into my embrace. I tightened my arms around him and just held him for a couple of minutes until Gaius walked in carrying his medicine bag in his hand. He walked over to us.

"Merlin." my brother looked up at him, and wiped the tears off his face. "Sit up. Take your shirt off." Merlin was about to protest, but I gave him a stern look, and he obeyed. He sat up and slowly and carefully took off his shirt, wincing slightly. There was a big scratch on the right side of his back. It must have been after he fell on the floor. Gaius took a small cotton ball with some kind of potion on it and started gently touching it to the wound. I just watched with tears growing in my eyes.

"You don't know why we were born like this, do you?" I asked, my voice cracking slightly at the end. Gaius looked at me for a couple of seconds with softness and warmth in his eyes.

"No." He replied, frowning slightly.

"We're not monsters, are we?" My brother asked jokingly, but I could easily tell that it was a serious question and that he really wanted an answer. As did I. Gaius looked at us seriously.

"Don't ever think that." He said slowly.

"Then why are we like this? Please, we need to know. Why?" Merlin asked desperately. Gaius hesitated.

"Maybe there's... Someone with more knowledge than me."

"If you can't tell us, no one can." My brother dismissed the subject quickly, but I couldn't help thinking about what Gaius said. Who else is there that would be able to tell us? He obviously knew, even a blind man could see it. But he tried to hide it. Why? Who was he talking about? I was snapped out of thoughts with Gaius giving Merlin a small potion.

"Drink this. It will help with the pain." He told Merlin, and my brother took it and gulped it down. He gave the bottle back to Gaius, and he took it, as well as his medical bag, and left. Merlin put his shirt back on, and lied down on his back. I slowly made my way over to him and smiled a small smile trying to make him feel better. He just looked at me with a sad expression. I covered him with a blanket and he gave me a small smile. I leaned down and kissed his forehead gently.

"Go to sleep." I whispered. "You look exhausted." He nodded tiredly and closed his eyes. I went behind the screen and changed into my nightgown. I then put down my hair, brushed it, blew off the candles, and got into bed.

I couldn't sleep for about an hour, because I was thinking about what Gaius told us. After some time tiredness took over, and I closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep


	9. The Dragon's Call

**Thank you everyone for the reviews! I can't wait to hear more of your thoughts on this story!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Annabelle..." My eyes shot open at the sound of this voice. What is wrong with me? Am I imagining it? "Annabelle..." No... I definitely didn't imagine this. I sat up in my bed and looked over at Merlin. He was also awake.

"You heard that too?" I asked and he nodded. I'm wondering why he heard it... No one else seemed to. Maybe it's because we're siblings?

I quickly jumped out of bed and put on my shoes. Merlin did the same thing and slowly opened the door. Once it was open big enough for us to walk through, he quickly walked out of the room. I grabbed my cloak and followed him. Whilst I was closing the door quietly behind us, I heard a crash. I whipped around and saw Merlin standing next to broken pieces of glass. I gave him a stern look and he just looked at me apologetically. I was about to walk over to him when I heard Gaius groaning in his sleep. I stopped dead in my tracks slowly turned my head to look at him. Thankfully he just turned on the other side, still sleeping. I was about to continue walking, but I noticed that more than half of the blanket slipped off of his body. I felt my eyes flash gold and the blanket moved back and covered him gently. He continued to snore loudly, I smiled a small, soft smile and then followed Merlin. I put on my cloak, and we quietly made our way out of the chambers.  
We got to the courtyard and stopped in the middle.

"Where do we go now?" Merlin asked, and to be honest... I had no idea. I was about to say something, but then I heard the voice again.

"Annabelle..." I looked at Merlin and then we both turned to where the voice seemed to be coming , we did the only thing we could do... We followed it. We walked through the courtyard and eventually ended up on the stairs that led to the jail cells. We quietly made our way down the stairs, but stopped once we saw the two guards sitting there playing a board game. I looked at Merlin, and he shrugged. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. I turned back to the guards and used my magic to make the dices roll of the guards looked at each other, confused and then one of them got up to get it but I moved it further away. He went further to get it, but I just moved it again. He went further, but I moved it even further. The second guard got up and followed him. They eventually made their way out through the opened gate, and Merlin and I ran down the stairs quietly. Merlin grabbed a torch and lit it, and we both made our way through the dark corridor. On the left side was an open gate with a staircase behind it. I was about to pass it and follow Merlin further ahead, when I heard the voice again. "Annabelle..." It was coming from the gate.

"Merlin." I called quietly. He turned around and looked at me. I motioned for him to come over. He looked at me strangely but obeyed. Once he was next to me, I pointed to the staircase. He got the message, and nodded. He lead the way downstairs and I followed him closely.

"Annabelle..." I looked at Merlin and he looked at me. We both nodded and turned to the left where the voice came from. The corridor seemed to lead to a dead end, since there was only a stack of logs at the end. Merlin looked around helplessly. "Annabelle..." It called again, but this time from the right. I looked in that direction, but it was too dark and I couldn't see anything, so I poked Merlin lightly in the ribs and pointed in the direction. He nodded and started walking in the direction I pointed at. Once the light of the torch collided with darkness, I saw that it was another corridor. We walked through the corridor and then we saw a dim light ahead. Once we reached it, I saw a gigantic cave right in front us. We stopped on the edge, and suddenly we heard a laugh. Merlin looked down and tried to find the source of it, but I looked up instead.

"Where are you?!" I called and looked around. We didn't hear anything for the first few seconds, but then we heard a roar and flapping of wings. We both looked up, startled by what we saw. It was a dragon. A huge, magnificent dragon. He landed with a loud thud on the rock in front of us, making us both jump backwards and Merlin to push me behind him protectively. He looked down at us, and we both stared at him in amazement.

"I'm here." He replied in the same voice that was calling my name. We both still stared at him in shock and amazement. "How small you are... For such a great destiny." He said, looking at me. His eyes held wisdom. I looked at him confused.

"Why? What do you mean?" He just looked at me. "What destiny?" I clarified.

"Your gift, Annabelle, was given to you for a reason." He said, and then looked at my brother. "Yours as well, although your destiny is much smaller... But it is as important as your sister's."

"So there is, a reason." My brother said, clearly wanting to know more. The Dragon smiled.

"Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion." Merlin looked at him skeptically.

"Right?" He said, totally unconvinced.

"But he faces many threats, from friend, and foe alike." The Dragon continued.

"I don't see what this has to do with us." I said, confused.

"Everything." The Dragon exclaimed. "Without you two, Arthur will never succeed. With out you, there will be no Albion."

"No." My brother shook his head. "No, you've got this wrong... Maybe not about Anna, but about me you did."

"There is no right, or wrong. Only what is, and what isn't." The Dragon stated.

"No, I'm serious if anyone wants to kill him, they can go ahead! In fact I'll give them a hand!" Merlin exclaimed. I giggled and the Dragon chuckled.

"None of us can choose our destiny, Merlin... And none of us can escape it."The Dragon said.

"No. No way. No, no." My brother shook his head. "There must be another Arthur because this one's an idiot." He exclaimed.

"Perhaps it's your sister's destiny to change that, seeing as she will one day become his Queen." The Dragon said, looking at me. Merlin looked at me in shock, and I'm sure I looked at the Dragon with the same expression.

"Oh, no! There is no way this brat is going to marry my little sister!" He exclaimed, but the Dragon just looked at us for a second, and then he started to flap his wings. He then lifted himself in the air. "Wait! Wait! No, stop w-we need to know more!" Merlin called, but the Dragon just ignored us and flew away. Merlin stared after him for a while and then looked at me. "There is no way that I will ever let you marry this idiot." He said in an overprotective manner. I just smiled at him, and then we both left.

The thing is... Arthur isn't so bad. Sure, he was an idiot at first, but the way he looked at me at the market. The way he smiled. It was soft and warm. Maybe he's not an idiot. Maybe there is something under all this rudeness. Maybe this destiny actually makes sense. I mean, he is handsome. And he might even be good-hearted and wise... Only time will tell though.


	10. Girls' Time

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"OI!" I jolted awake at the voice. I looked at the middle of the room and saw Gaius standing there with a pretty upset expression. I looked at Merlin and he was also awake. "Have you seen the state of this room?" Gaius scolded us. Merlin and I exchanged a glance, and then we both shrugged.

"It just happens." My brother said, innocently. Gaius looked at him skeptically.

"By magic?" He asked. Merlin and I exchanged another glance.

"Yeah." We both replied.

"Yeah... Well, you can clear it up without magic." Gaius said, throwing a shirt at Merlin's face. "Then, I want you to get me some herbs, Merlin. Headbaim, Wowwood, and Solrow. And Anna, you deliver this to Morgana." Gaius said, giving me a bottle with potion. "Poor girl suffers from nightmares." He said, picking up another shirt and throwing it at my brother. He then made his way out of the room. I looked at Merlin.

"I know the feeling." I mumbled, and he nodded, snickering quietly. "Well... Let's clean up this room." I said, getting out of bed. I walked behind the screen and put on my dress. I then walked over to the mirror and did my hair. When I walked out into the room, more than half was already cleaned up. I looked around with my mouth slightly open. "Wow... You clean up fast." I said, and Merlin shrugged innocently. "Okay, why don't you go change and I'll clean up the rest." I suggested, and Merlin nodded. He walked behind the screen to change and I started picking up the clothes off the floor. Once I picked and folded all of them, I quickly made our beds. Right after I finished, Merlin walked out from behind the screen, completely dressed. I grabbed the potion for Morgana from the table and he grabbed the bag that he needs for collecting herbs. "Alright, I'll see you later." I said, hugging him. He hugged me back tightly and kissed my forehead. "But don't get in trouble this time!" I reminded him, sternly. He nodded with a smile. "I'm serious, Merlin!"

"Alright, I promise... Don't worry." He assured me with a smile. I hesitantly nodded and followed him out of the room. We walked through Gaius's chambers and I saw him sitting at the table working on some potions. I walked over to him and kissed his cheek.

"Bye, Gaius." I called, and he smiled at me.

"Goodbye, my dear." Merlin and I made our way out of the chambers and separated in the corridor. I went to the right, and he went to the left.

I walked down the corridor that lead to Morgana's chambers. The door was open, so I just walked in. I saw Morgana standing in front of the mirror. She didn't notice me, so I cleared my throat. She whipped around, startled but relaxed once she saw it was me.

"Oh my goodness, Anna! Don't ever scare me like that again!" She exclaimed, and I laughed.

"Sorry, Morgana. I brought you this potion. Gaius said that you had nightmares." I said, giving her the potion. She smiled, gratefully at me.

"Oh thank you. These nightmares are terrifying." She said with fear in her eyes. I pulled her into a hug.

"Don't worry, Morgana. I'm sure this potion will help... And if it won't you can always come to me and I'll do my best to comfort you." I whispered in her ear, soothingly. She pulled away and looked at me with tears in her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course." I smiled, softly. "You can come to me anytime... Day or night." I assured her. She smiled gratefully at me and pulled me into another hug. When she pulled away, we both chuckled and she wiped off her tears.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to break down like that." She apologized, chuckling. I chuckled as well.

"Don't worry about it... Remember, I'm always here for you." I said in a gentle tone, and she smiled at me.

"You know, I've been thinking about Arthur." She said randomly. I raised my eyebrows at her. "I wouldn't touch him with a lanced pole." I laughed, and she joined me. She got up and went behind the screen. "Pass me that dress, will you Anna?" I looked around for a dress, and I saw it on the chest in the corner. "I mean the man's a total jouster." She continued, whilst I grabbed the dress. "Just because I'm the King's Ward, that doesn't meant I have to accompany him to the feast. Does it?" I passed her the dress and shook my head.

"Of course, it doesn't." I said.

"If he wants me to go, then he should invite me." She continued. "And he hasn't. So do you what that means?" I thought about it for a moment.

"That he's a rude, arrogant, royal brat?" I asked jokingly. She laughed and I joined her.

"Yes, but it also means that I'm going by myself." She said, and I frowned. Poor Morgana.

"Maybe he will invite you. There's still some time until the feast." I suggested, trying to comfort her.

"Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Anna... But I don;t think he will." Now I feel really bad for her. "Could you help me with this fastening?" She called from behind the screen.

"Of course." I replied. I walked behind the screen and fastened her dress. She turned to look at me.

"Thank you, Anna." She smiled.

"No problem." I chuckled. That's when Gwen walked in. "Oh, hey Gwen." I said, and hugged her. She hugged me back.

"Hello, Anna."She chuckled, and we both pulled away.

"I can't wait for the feast." I said, excitedly. Morgana walked out from behind the screen. She was wearing an elegant, purple dress with long sleeves, and was carrying another dress in her hands.

"So... It's whether I wear this little tease..." She said, showing us her purple dress. "Or give them the night they'll really remember." She said pressing the other dress to her body. I t was a sleeveless, dark red dress that was tied on the neck with a golden lace. Gwen and I chuckled. I compare the two dresses.

"Definitely that one." I said, pointing to the dark red one. Gwen looked at me, puzzled. "Well, if Arthur was rude enough not to invite her, she should tease him a little bit." I clarified with a smirk. She nodded understandingly.

"Will you be coming to the feast?" She asked, and I nodded.

"Since Gaius is, Merlin and I will come as well." They both nodded. "Well, I better go get ready. I have an amazing dress that I was saving for this night." I said, and their eyes twinkled in interest.

"Can we see it ?!" They both asked enthusiastically. I chuckled and shook my head. They frowned.

"Nope... No one is allowed to see it until the feast. Don't worry, I'll come here before the feast to show you how I look. Alright?" I suggested, and they both reluctantly nodded. I hugged them both. "I'll see you at the feast!" I called over my shoulder, walking out the door. Well, now all I need to do is get ready.


	11. The Feast

**Thank you all for the reviews! I really appreciate it! I wanted to address one in particular!**

**WitchOfThePast:****Yes, I know, I'm sorry about that. The thing is that this story was originally posted on Quotev, and I'm just copying and pasting it here as well because I thought it would be a good idea to try my luck on other fan-fiction websites as well, seeing as it was received quite well. So, I'm pasting this story in the Quotev format, and it changes itself through the document management into the Fanficition format as I publish it, which also changes the spacing. But I promise I will try to work on that! Thank you!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I looked at myself in the mirror, and tucked a the loose piece of hair behind my ear. I hope I look presentable enough for the feast.

"Anna, come on! We're going to be late!" Merlin called from behind the door. I smoothed out my dress one more time, and then opened the door. I slowly walked down the stairs, feeling very self-conscious. Do I look good... Or bad? Once I was in the middle of the chambers, I slowly looked up. I saw Merlin and Gaius standing there in their usual clothes with their backs to me. I cleared my throat, and they both turned around. I smoothed out my dress, and looked at them with a doubtful look.

"Do I look alright?" I asked, uncertain. They looked at me in shock, and... Amazement. Their eyes widened and their mouths opened slightly. I looked down at my dress, feeling self-conscious again.

"My dear... You look stunning." Gaius breathed, and I sent him a kind smile. I then looked over at my brother, who was still staring at me.

"Merlin?" I waved my hand in front of his face, and he snapped out of his daze.

"You look breathtaking, Anna." He said quietly. He walked over to me, and placed a small kiss on my forehead. "Let's get going then." He stated with a grin. They both headed out the door, and I followed them closely. I closed the door behind me and started walking down the corridor behind them. Once we got to the hallway that held Morgana's chambers, I stopped.

"Merlin!" I called, and they both turned to look at me. "I promised Morgana and Gwen that I'll show them how I look before the feast, so I think I'll go with them. You go ahead, I'll see you at the feast." I said, and they nodded. They walked off in the direction of the throne room, where the feast was held, and knocked on Morgana's door.

"Come in!" Morgana's voice called out from behind the door. I opened the door and stepped into the room. I closed the door behind me and looked around for Morgana or Gwen. I didn't see them.

"Morgana?" I called.

"I'm behind the screen!" I heard a reply, so I just sat on the chair and waited. After a minute or two, Morgana walked out from behind the screen with Gwen following closely behind. Let me just say... Morgana looked fabulous! She was wearing the revealing red dress that I told her to wear to tease Arthur, and her hair was put in a loose bun. She had a dark red headband around her head, and was wearing matching make up with a little bit of red glitter under her eye. She looked stunning.

"Morgana... You look amazing." I breathed out. She looked at me with an admiring smile.

"You look stunning, Anna." Gwen and Morgan both said quietly. I looked down at my outfit.

"Thank you." I replied quietly.

"Where did you get a dress like that?" Gwen asked as she looked at my satin black dress with long red sleeves and a white embroidery at the neckline.

"I made it myself... You can say that I'm kind of like a seamstress. I don't work as one, but I sew my own clothes. Back in Ealdor we were poor, and we didn't have money for any nice clothes, so I would just buy cheap material, and then sew my own clothes and make them look nice and expensive. It's a little trick." I explained, and they nodded in understanding. "Well, we should get going or we'll be late for the feast." I said, and they nodded eagerly. We all chuckled slightly and then headed out the door and to the feast.

*Arthur's P.O.V.*

I was fooling around with some of the knights, and that's when I saw them walk in. It was Morgana, who looked great, but next to her was Annabelle, who looked... breathtaking. She literally took my breath away. How is that possible that she's so beautiful and she's that idiot's sister? I looked at the other knights, and they all head their mouths open and eyes wide. They were all staring at Morgana and Annabelle. In fact, everyone at this feast was staring at them.

"God have mercy." I whispered, completely astonished. There were even people who dropped their goblets from astonishment. Gasps filled the room. Greg, one of the knights, turned to look at me.

"Arthur, who is that girl next to the Lady Morgana?" I was about to reply, but Alanor, another knight replied for me.

"It's Annabelle... That idiot's sister... Remember?" Recognition flashed in Greg's eyes.

"Oh. Well... I don't mean to sound rude, but she looks much better than Lady Morgana." He said, and the rest of the knights nodded in agreement. I just kept looking at the two ladies, but I did agree with them... Annabelle looked a lot better than Morgana, and she was nicer too.

My thoughts wondered to yesterday... She is probably the only person that could make me back off from the fight... How did she do that? Why did I listen to her? I never listen to anybody except for my Father, and now suddenly I feel like this one girl has me wrapped around her little finger... And it's not only her beauty... It's her personality. She's beautiful on the outside... And the inside.

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Morgana and I walked through the door to the throne room, and chatted happily. I looked over at Arthur, and saw his eyes glued to Morgana and I. I smirked and nudged Morgana.

"What?" She asked, and I put my finger to her lips to signal her to be quiet. I nodded in Arthur's direction and she adverted her eyes from me to them.

"I told you teasing him will be fun." I said, smirking, and she looked at me.

"I actually think that everyone's eyes are on you, not me." She said, smirking. I shook my head, but she just waved me off. "Especially Arthur's." She continued, her smirk growing. I just rolled my eyes playfully and kept walking.

When we passed my brother, I saw him openly skim Morgana's body with his eyes. When we were a little further away, Morgana stopped to get a drink, and I covered my eyes with my hand.

"What's wrong?" I heard Morgana ask, and I looked up at her.

"My brother was openly checking you out." I grimaced, and she just chuckled.

"Alright, well I have to go, Uther's about to start." She said, apologetically, and I nodded understandingly. She pulled me into a hug, and then walked away with one last smile. I looked around for my brother, and my eyes locked with Arthur's for couple of seconds. He smiled a small smile at me, and I returned, not even thinking about it. Once I realized what I was doing, I quickly adverted my eyes away from him and continued looking around for my brother. I spotted him next to Gaius and Gwen, so I walked over to them.

"Hello, Gwen." I smiled, and she smiled back. I noticed her continuing to steal glances at my bother, and I smirked to myself. That's when the King entered and walked over to the High Table. Gwen walked away, as did Gaius, so Merlin and I walked over to the High Table and stood over to the side, right across from Arthur who was standing on his father's right. His eyes locked with mine, but I quickly looked away this time and looked at the King as he started his speech.

"We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity... It has brought the kingdom and myself, many pleasures. But few can compare with the honor of introducing... Lady Helen of Mora." With that speech everyone started clapping and looked away from the King and to the platform across from him. That's where Lady Helen stood, in a golden, beautiful gown. Everyone sat down, and she started singing. Her voice was truly beautiful, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. That's when she slowly made her way off the platform. I looked around and saw everyone slowly falling asleep. I looked at Merlin, and he looked at me. We both quickly covered our ears, and looked back to the Lady Helen. Suddenly, all the candles went out, and spider webs started forming on the walls, people, and furniture. I looked around in horror. The song must have been a spell that made everyone fall asleep and castle age rapidly. She kept making her way over to the King. But she kept her eyes on Arthur the entire time. Suddenly, she pulled out a dagger from her sleeve, and I looked at Merlin in terror. We both looked at Arthur, and then back at Lady Helen. There must be something that we can do.

That's when she raised her hand in the air and prepared to throw the dagger at the King's son.


	12. Reward

**Thank you all for the reviews! I really enjoy reading your thoughts on this story!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I looked around frantically. There must be something I can do. I can't let Arthur die. He's the King's son for God's sake! And if what the Dragon told us is true, he is the Once and Future King that will bring peace to this land. Suddenly, my eyes fell on the chandelier right above Lady Helen. I felt my eyes flash gold and the chain holding the chandelier broke. Lady Helen looked up at the sound, but looked down quickly trying to cover her face when the chandelier hit her spine and pushed her onto the floor. Merlin and I pulled our hands away from our ears and looked at each other. We then looked around and saw everyone slowly waking up and taking the spider webs off of their bodies. The King looked around and stood up, quickly followed by Arthur, and looked down at Lady Helen. I followed his gaze and looked down at her as well. But what shocked me the most was that it wasn't Lady Helen... It was that old woman that swore revenge on Uther for executing her son. She looked up, grabbed the dagger form the floor near her and threw it at Arthur. My eyes flashed gold again and I slowed down the time. Merlin and I both rushed over to Arthur and pulled him out of the way, falling on the floor next to the chair.

The three of us looked up and saw the dagger plunged right in the middle of the chair Arthur was sitting on. I looked back at the woman, and saw her giving her last breath, and then closing her eyes and dropping her head back on the floor. She was dead. I looked at Merlin and then at Arthur, who was looking at us in absolute shock. We all got up from the floor and looked at each other. The King walked up to us.

"You two saved my boy's life. The debt must be repaid." He addressed me and my brother. We looked at each other, and then back at Uther.

"Oh, well..." My brother stuttered, obviously not knowing what to say.

"Oh, don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded." Uther said, and I looked at him.

"No honestly, you don't have to, Your Highness." I assured, but he just shook his head.

"No, absolutely... This merit's something quiet special." I exchanged a glance with Merlin.

"Well..." Merlin shrugged, and I automatically knew that he was actually fond of the idea of being rewarded.

"You shall be rewarded position of the royal household... You, my boy shall be Prince Arthur's manservant."He said, clapping Arthur on the back. Both Arthur's and Merlin's faces fell, and I covered my mouth with my hand to stop myself from laughing.

"Father!" Arthur exclaimed, obviously not happy with the idea, but Uther just waved him off and walked up to me.

"And you, young lady, shall be Lady Morgana's handmaiden." He told me, and I looked at Morgana, who had a smile on her face. I looked back to the King with a smile on my face and curtsied.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." He smiled at me, and then walked off, whilst everyone else clapped in congratulations. I glanced at Merlin, and saw him and Arthur eyeing each other in distaste, and then looking away. I chuckled to myself. I definitely got the better job.

*Next Day*

I looked at myself in the mirror and once I was satisfied with how I look, I walked out from behind the screen and sat on my bed across from Merlin, who was sitting on his. We both looked up when we heard footsteps outside the door. Gaius walked in carrying something in his hand. I couldn't tell what it was because it was covered with a silky, red cloth.

"Seems you two are heroes." He said, approaching us. We both looked up at him.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" I joked, and Gaius looked at me.

"No. I knew it from the moment I met you. Well, you two saved my life, remember?" Merlin and I looked at him.

"But... That was magic." I said, and Gaius nodded.

"And now it seems we finally found a use for it." He said.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, and Gaius smiled a small smile.

"I saw how you saved Arthur's life." He said, and Merlin started shaking his head.

"Oh, no-" He started, but Gaius interrupted him.

"Perhaps, that's its purpose." I sighed. Hearing him saying these words reminded me of what the Dragon told us.

"Our destiny." I said.

"Indeed." Gaius nodded. He then took the object he was holding in both hands. "This book was given to me when I was your age, but I have a feeling it will be more of use to you, than it was to me." I took the book from his hands and unfolded the cloth. I looked at the book. There was magic radiating off of it. I looked at Gaius questioningly, but he just smiled. I looked back at the book and opened it. There were many papers inside... But the titles of the pages were different magical spells. I looked at Gaius in shock, and then a smile slowly made its way onto my face. I showed the book to Merlin, and he looked at it in interest.

"But this is book of magic." I said, and Gaius nodded.

"Which is why you must keep it hidden." He said, and we nodded.

"We will study every word." I said, excited and Gaius smiled at me. Suddenly we heard a knock and a door opening.

"Merlin! Prince Arthur wants you right away!" Someone called. "Annabelle! Lady Morgana said you have 15 more minutes!" Gaius turned to look at Merlin.

"Your destiny's calling." He said with a smirk. "You better find out what he wants." He told him nodding towards the door. Merlin nodded and gave me the book. He than walked out the door, and I sat on my bed with the book in my hands.

"Well..." I started, and Gaius looked at me. "I have 15 more minutes, so I might as well start studying now." I said with a smile, and Gaius nodded, chuckling. I joined him, and then opened the book of magic on the first page.


	13. Poor Merlin

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I just finished my work for the day and headed back to Gaius's quarters. Gwen helped me a lot, so I wasn't even tired. There wasn't really much to do anyways, and all the time I was working, I chatted with Morgana and Gwen. I really liked my job. I worked with and for two of my best friends. I really enjoyed it, and I wondered if Merlin enjoyed his job as well.

Probably not.

I opened the door and walked inside Gaius's chambers. He looked up when he heard me approaching, and smiled. I returned it happily.

"How was your day, Anna?" He asked, and I smiled even wider.

"It was amazing, Gaius! It really is a reward. All the time I was working, I talked with Gwen and Morgana. I didn't even have a lot to do, so I'm not even tired at all." I told him, and he smiled at me in a fatherly way.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"Do you know when Merlin is going to be back?" I asked, noticing he's not back yet. He shook his head and opened his mouth to say something, when I heard a clang behind me. I whipped around and saw my dear brother standing there, with ruffled hair and half of the armor on, half off. I exchanged a look with Gaius and we both chuckled.

"So," Gaius said, still chuckling. "How was your first day as Arthur's servant?" He asked, mixing a potion. I chuckled at Merlin's expression. Suddenly, he banged his head with his hand, as if trying to get something to fall out of his ear. I looked at him strangely.

"Do you hear clanging?" He asked, and I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. I walked over to him and helped him take off his armor. I then lead him to the chair, and helped his sit down. Gaius then walked over behind him and started massaging his shoulders. "It was... Horrible!" He exclaimed, and I chuckled quietly. He then groaned. "And I still got to learn all that Tournament... Etiquette by the morning." He lamented, and then sighed. He looked over at something and I followed his gaze. He was looking at the book about the Tournament rules. "Onhríne achtung bregdan." He chanted, and the book moved towards him and a scroll about the different parts of the armor rolled out of it. I looked at Merlin with a disapproving look. And I wasn't the only one.

"OI!" Gaius exclaimed and thumped Merlin over his head. "What have I told you about using magic like this?" He scolded him, and Merlin looked at him.

"If I could actually feel my arms I'd pick up the book myself." He explained, and I rolled my eyes.

"Never mind your arms, what do I do if you get caught?" Gaius exclaimed, and I looked at him.

"What would you do?" I asked curiously. He just looked at us and sighed.

"Well you just make sure it doesn't happen for all of our sakes." He said and started massaging Merlin's right arm. My brother groaned in pain.

"We saved Arthur from being killed and we end up as servants, how is that fair?" He whined, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not sure fairness comes into it. You never know, it might be fun." Gaius said, and I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I love my job." I grinned, and Merlin looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, you think mucking out Arthur's horses is gonna be fun?" He said, laughing me off. He then shook his head with a sigh. "You two should hear my list of duties." He complained.

"Well, we all have our duties. Even Arthur." Gaius said.

"It must be so tough for him." Merlin said sarcastically. "With all the... Girls. The... Glory."

"He is the future King, people expect so much of him." Gaius said, and I shook my head, thinking about how it must feel like. I can't even imagine the pressure. "He's under a lot of pressure." Gaius said, voicing my thoughts. Merlin groaned in pain again, when Gaius stretched his left arm.

"That makes three of us." He said, looking at Gaius.

"Three?" I asked, and he turned to look at me, and nodded.

"You're in it too. You saved his life along with me, remember?" He explained, and I nodded my head in understanding.

*Late in the Evening*

After I was sure that I have everything ready for tomorrow morning, I changed into my nightgown and got into my bed. Merlin was already asleep, so I blew off the candle on the table in between our beds, and closed my eyes, falling asleep right away.


	14. The First Day of the Tournament

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I was sitting in between Morgana and Gwen at the stands. We were all waiting for the Knights who will be competing in the Tournament to come out. We were all very close to the King. He was sitting in the Royal stands with two Knights on both of his sides. Morgana was sitting on one of the Knights' right, I was sitting on her right, and Gwen was sitting on mine. It was rather cold today, so I had my cloak, as well as Gwen and Morgana, to keep me warm. Suddenly the guards started playing the drums and the crowd went mad with cheers as the Knights came out from the courtyard and onto the arena. The guards started playing horns, and that's when we got a good view of all the Knights. One in particular caught my eye. He was in the front row, and was rather handsome with short brown hair and scruffy beard. He was wearing a yellow cloak and had a yellow shield with green snaked painted on it. Morgana, Gwen, and I all clapped and the Knight that caught my eye locked his eyes with mine and winked at me. I smiled at him in return, and he seemed pleased with it, as he he smiled at me as well. He then adverted his eyes from me onto the King, as he stepped down from the Royal stands and came out onto the arena. He stood in front of the Knights, and everyone grew quiet and waited fro him to start his speech.

"Knights of the Realm... It's a great honor to welcome you to the Tournament in Camelot. In the next three days you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors. And of course, to challenge the Reigning Champion. My son, Prince Arthur." At the mention of his name, I looked at Arthur and saw him looking at the Knight in the yellow cloak, and him returning the stare. Well, it seems as though they don't like each other already. "Only one can have the honor of being crowned Champion. And he will receive a price of 1000 gold pieces." At that statement the woman who was standing near the table with four Knights of Camelot, opened the case on the table in front of her, revealing the gold coins. Some people in the crowd gasped, and the Knights all wore expressions of determination. "It is in combat, that we learn a Knight's true nature. Whether he is indeed a warrior... Or a coward... The Tournament begins!" The crowd cheered and clapped, and the Knights all bowed to the King. Then they all left to the tents, leaving only Arthur and one other Knight to fight. Uther went up to Arthur and told him something quietly, but because of the cheers of the crowd I couldn't hear what it was. But Arthur didn't seem to pleased to hear whatever it was. He seemed even more stressed afterwards.

Uther clapped him on the back and went back to the Royal stands and sat down on his chair. Arthur and the Knight he was competing with both took off their cloaks and gave them to the Camelot guards who were helping out in the Tournament. The guards gave them their shields and left, leaving them to compete. Arthur and the Knight he was competing with put on their helmets, and the crowd clapped and cheered. I smiled when Gwen cheered next to me for Arthur.

Arthur spun his sword and they both got in their ready positions. They waited for couple of seconds, and then they attacked each other. Their swords clashed, and their shields got scratched when they got hit with their swords. I have to say that I was very impressed with Arthur's skills in sword fighting. I, myself am really good at it, and I'm not easily impressed, but he managed to impress me with it. He was very skilled, and you could see the years of training in his every move. The crowd gasped when the Knight he was competing with swung his sword above Arthur's head, but thankfully Arthur managed to duck in time. They separated and Arthur spun his sword in his hand, and then attacked. They continued to fight, until Arthur elbowed the Knight in the face, making his helmet fall off and him fall down. The crowed roared with cheers and happiness that the heir to the throne of Camelot won the match. I even saw my brother standing near the entrance to the courtyard, cheering for Arthur.

Arthur took off his helmet, and looked at the crowd. Morgana, Gwen, and I all clapped with smiles. He then made his way over to the tents, and guards lifted the unconscious Knight off the ground and took him away to the tents so that Gaius could treat him. Then the Knight with the shield with snakes walked out on the arena, with another Knight following him. The Knight with the shield with snakes on it looked over and winked and smiled at me, and I smiled at him in return, clapping along with the crowd. Morgana must have noticed, because she nudged me with a playful grin. I just rolled my eyes and turned to look at the match. I was also very impressed with the Knight's in yellow cloak skill with sword. He defeated his opponent easily. We all clapped loudly for him. He raised his sword in victory, and walked over to the tents. The guards lifted his opponent off the ground and made their way over to the tents as well.

The next two competitors couldn't be more different. One had two swords in his hands and was tall and muscly, whilst the other one had only one swords and a shield, and was pretty small and petite. The Knight with two swords swung them around for a show, and Gwen and Morgana looked at each other, impressed but I just kept looking at the Knights. I know enough about sword fighting to know that just because someone knows how to swing a sword around doesn't always know how to fight with it well. And I was right. He didn't really use them. He just kicked his opponent in the stomach, and hit him in the face with the hilt of his sword. His opponent fell down, unconscious. This Knight didn't even use his skill with swords, he used his size, which seems pretty unfair to me, but I put a fake smile on my face and clapped along with everybody else.

The next match was between the Knight with the shield with snakes and another Knight. Again, the Knight with the shield with snakes defeated his opponent easily with the first few blows. The crowd cheered for him loudly, and I clapped with a smile on my face. He bowed to the King and looked over at me with a smile for a second, before going back to the tents. I smiled to myself, and Morgana nudged me with a playful smirk again. I just kept smiling.

The Tournament was over for today.


	15. Valiant

**Thank you all for the reviews! I really appreciate the fact that you are taking your precious time to leave me a comment that might help improve the story, so thank you! There is one review in particular I would like to address:**

**TheTombedSpirit \- First of all, thank you for leaving a review. I always love answering any questions you might have. Well, the reason why I don't put the entire episode in one chapter is because it is much easier for me, personally, to write the story. The chapters don't have to be so long, so it's not taking me as much time to write the story as it would if I actually wrote the entire episode in one chapter. Also, this story of mine is also published on Quotev, and it has gained a lot of heart (976), and the people who favorited this story don't really like to wait, so, in order to make it easier for the people who like this story and for myself, I decided to make the chapters shorter. Also, I think it allows me to write the story in more detail, because if I tried to write a whole episode in one chapter, I would get tired in the middle or towards the end, and would try to rush through it, and that's something I don't want to do because it would completely mess up the story. I want to put effort, and I also want to please the readers, so I'm updating often, but in shorter chapters. Also, call me evil if you want, but I love to leave my readers in cliffhangers, and it wouldn't really be possible for me to do if I covered an entire episode at once. I hope this helps you understand! If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Morgana and Gwen went to the market before the reception for the Knights competing in the Tournament. I heard the door open, but I didn't turn around. I just kept cleaning Morgana's dresser.

"Oh, you're back already?" I asked, slowly turning around. "I thought you were goi-" I cut myself off as I realized it was King Uther standing in the doorway, not Morgana and Gwen. I quickly snapped out of my shock and dropped to a low curtsy. "My Lord. I'm sorry I thought you were the Lady Morgana." I explained, rising from my curtsy. King Uther looked at me, and... Smiled?

"It's alright, I was actually looking for you, Annabelle." He said, and I looked at him, genuinely confused.

"May I ask why?" I asked, and that's when I noticed that he was holding a dress in his hands. Now I'm even more confused than before.

"Well, as you know, the reception for the Knights is being held in the throne room in a hour." He started, and I nodded. He then continued. "And, as you know, Morgana is my ward, and she is a very beautiful lady." I nodded, but I was still confused as to why he needed to speak to me. "But, you my dear, are even more beautiful in the eyes of all men." At that, I almost chocked on air, and could barely breathe. I was very tempted to interrupt and protest, and the only thing that stopped me from doing so was the reminder that he is the King. "I saw all the Knights glancing at you whilst competing, and though I don't agree with it, since you are only a servant, I want you to become the Lady Annabelle." He said, and I looked at him with wide eyes."The price for winning the Tournament is to be crowned Champion, but the Council and myself agree that the price of escorting you to the Feast will be an even greater price. It will also make the Knights fight harder, and it will give the People the entertainment they desire." I stared at him, speechless. "Of course, since you are only a servant you won't be a Lady all the time. But the Knights don't know you are a servant, so for the time being, until the Tournament is over, you will be the Lady Annabelle. After the Knights leave, you will go back to your usual life and duties. Do you agree to the terms?" He asked, but it was obvious that he won't take 'no' for an answer. I nodded, still not being able to speak. "Very good. For the time of pretending, you will move to the chambers next to Morgana's, and you will get a maid immediately." I nodded, and he nodded back at me, turning around to leave. He then must have remembered something, because he turned back around. "And you will wear this for the reception. I expect to see you in the throne room in a hour." He said, handing me the dress he was carrying. I curtsied, and he walked out of the room. Once the door closed, I slumped into the chair closest to me.

I cannot believe this just happened. How am I supposed to do this? I sighed heavily, and looked at the dress from the King. My eyes widened. It was beautiful! Am I able to do this?

*At the Reception for the Knights*

I was standing next to Morgana, with Gwen on my right, though slightly in the back. I explained everything to them and they were, unlike me, ecstatic about this. The Knight in the yellow cloak that caught my eye came up to the King and bowed.

"Knight Valiant of the Western Isles, My Lord." He introduced himself. Uther looked at him.

"I saw you fighting today. You have a very aggressive start." Uther said, and Valiant nodded.

"As my Lord said: 'To loose is to be disgraced.'" Valiant quoted, and and Uther put a hand on his shoulder.

"I couldn't agree more." He nodded, and pushed him lightly towards me and Morgana. "Knight Valiant, may I present the Lady Morgana, my ward, and her friend and our guest in Camelot, the Lady Annabelle." He introduce Valiant, giving me look that told me to remember that I'm a Lady now. Morgana and I smiled at Valiant, and Morgana nudged me discreetly.

Valiant went up to Morgana first, since she was closer to the King, and kissed her hand.

"My Lady." He bowed his head, and Morgana gave him a nod with a smile. He then walked up to me. He took my hand and placed a gentle kiss on it, never breaking eye contact with me. "My Lady." He bowed his head respectfully, still holding my hand.

"I saw you competing today." I said with a smile.

"I saw you watching." He nodded, and then looked at Arthur briefly, who was waiting in the line with other Knights further in the back, before turning his head back to me. "I understand the Tournament Champion has the honor of escorting My Lady to the Feast?" He asked, and I nodded with a smile.

"That's correct." I answered, and he smiled a small smile.

"Then I will give everything to win the Tournament." He said with a flirtatious twinkle in his eyes. I smiled at him. "My Lady." He bowed his head one more time, let go of my hand, and then walked away to speak with the other Knights. I smiled to myself, and turned my gaze back at the Knights. Morgana smirked, and leaned in closer to whisper something to me.

"Well, it seems you already stole a heart of a competitor." She teased, and I pushed her back playfully.

We were introduced to few more Knights, and then it was Arthur's turn. He walked up to the King and bowed.

"Arthur." Uther greeted, and Arthur nodded.

"Father." He then walked over to Morgana. I noticed him look hatefully at Valiant, though it was only for about two seconds, so I wasn't sure if I saw right.

"They all seem rather impressed by Knight Valiant."Morgana said with a smirk. Arthur looked at her with a teasing smile.

"They're not the only ones. Annabelle seems to be very impressed by him," At that he looked at me, and I smiled innocently. He rolled his eyes playfully and then looked back at Morgana. "but you seem to be impressed by him as well." He finished, and Morgana looked at him with mock pity.

"Well I like him. So what? You're not jealous are you?" She teased him, and he smirked.

"I don't see anything to be jealous of." He fired back, and she glared at him. I discreetly place my left hand on her arm to comfort her. He then walked over to me, and smiled. He took my hand, and placed a gently kiss on it, never breaking eye contact with me. My hand tingled at his touch. "My Lady." He bowed his head, and I nodded at him with a small smile. He smiled back at me and then walked over to the other Knights. Again, I saw him and Valiant exchange hateful glances. I looked at him for about five more seconds, and then looked back at Morgana as she addressed Gwen and I.

"Could Arthur be any more annoying?" She asked, and I chuckled slightly, whilst Gwen smiled a small smile. "I still hope Knight Valiant wins the Tournament." She said, and Gwen looked at her slightly shocked.

"You don't really mean that." Gwen said, shaking her head. Morgana looked at her.

"Yes, I do." She said, and then turned her gaze to the rest of the Knights. I just looked down for a minute.

To be honest, I had no idea who I'd rather be escorted by. Both Valiant and Arthur were handsome. One was the King's son, the other one was a Knight. Arthur was able to joke around, and Valiant was a gentleman. But there was something else. I really like Valiant, but Arthur's touch gave me a tingling feeling, and to be honest... I longed for his touch. I think I might have started falling for him. Oh no.


	16. The Second Day of the Tournament

**Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! I really appreciate that you take your precious time to leave me comments, because I take everything into consideration! And please, don't _ever_ think that your questions are bothering me! They actually make my day! Please don't hesitate to ask if you have _any_ question! Once again, thank you!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I was sitting on the chair in Gaius's quarters, whilst he was preparing supper for Merlin and himself. I, because of King's orders, was not allowed to live or eat with them until the end of the Tournament. It was pretty annoying, since I loved spending time with Gaius, but thanks to that I got to spend more time with Morgana. Now that I was a Lady, I had to dress like a Lady and live in conditions like all the other Ladies do. So for now I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Morgana. I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Gaius.

"Anna, will you please go tell your brother to come out for supper?" He asked, and I nodded with a smile.

"Of course, Gaius." I got up and walked towards Merlin's room. When I opened the door, I heard a loud clang and saw, what I could only guess was, Arthur's armor falling on the floor, whilst Merlin was lying on his bed with the book of magic Gaius gave us. It seemed strange to me that all this armor would fall across the whole room all by itself, so I looked at Merlin with a raised eyebrow. "Are you using magic again?" I demanded, and he quickly shook his head.

"No." He answered quickly, and I looked at him skeptically. One thing that I know, is that my brother is a terrible liar. I can always tell whether he is lying or not, and right now he definitely was. Besides, I could sense magic radiating off of the armor.

"What's all this then?" I asked, pointing to the armor on the floor. He just shook his head and shrugged his shoulders innocently. I gave him another skeptical look. "I just came to tell you that supper's ready and I'm heading off to my chambers." I said, and he nodded, putting away the book of magic and getting off of his bed. He walked over to me and kissed my forehead in a brotherly way. I smiled and gave him a quick hug, before leaving his room. He followed behind me, and I walked over to Gaius and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight!" I called over my shoulder and closed the door. I already had dinner with Morgana earlier, so I headed directly to my chambers, which were right next to Morgana's.

When I walked in,I saw my maid, Lena, preparing me a bath. She saw me walking in and smiled. I smiled back.

"Hello, My Lady." She said, curtsying, which I really hate. But for now, I had to put up with it, so I just send her a kind smile. "How was your visit?" She asked kindly, and I smiled.

"I was amazing." I replied. "I really love spending time with Gaius." She nodded with a smile. I then walked behind the screen, and she helped me out of my dress. She then wrapped a towel around me, and I walked out from behind the screen and got in the bathtub. I closed my eyes and relaxed.

After I finished having my bath, Lena helped me change into my nightgown, and I quickly jumped into my comfortable bed. Lena blew out the candles, and I told her goodnight before closing my eyes and falling asleep.

*Next Day*

I watched as Arthur walked out from the courtyard and onto the arena. He looked at me, and smiled. I smiled a small smile back, trying not to get noticed. He stopped in the very middle, and raised his hand that was holding the helmet high in the air. The crowd went mad with cheers, and I clapped with a smile, along with Morgana and Gwen, who were on either sides of me. Arthur's opponent came out onto the arena, and they both got into their positions.

I watched both of their fighting skills, and it was obvious that this opponent was more of a match than the previous one, but Arthur still handled himself. With the final swing of his sword, he knocked his opponent out. The crowd cheered, and Arthur send me a small smile before bowing and going over to Merlin.

The next match was between Valiant and Knight Ewan. I already knew that Valiant was very skilled with a sword, but so was Ewan, and I was wondering which one of them is better. The match was very entertaining, and I could sense everyone's excitement. I was excited myself. It seemed at though Knight Ewan had the upper hand, but when their swords clashed together, Valiant ducked under the sword, spun in a circle and pushed Ewan to the ground with his shield. Ewan't helmet fell off, but he was still fighting. Valiant got on top of him and pinned him under his shield.

And then something weird happened. I could have sworn that I saw one of the snakes on Valiant's shield come to life and bit Ewan. Valiant then rose from his position and struck Ewan with his sword. The crowd gasped, and then erupted in cheers. Morgana and Gwen clapped next to me, but I just stared at Valiant. He's using magic to cheat in the Tournament. But if he doesn't want to get caught, he will have to kill anyone who has seen anything. So I just put a fake smile on my face and clapped along with everyone else. But deep inside, I was scared about Arthur. He will definitely get to the final, and if Valiant will as well, Arthur might be in grave danger.


	17. Knight Ewan's Wound

**Thank you all so much for your reviews! They always put a smile on my face! There is one in particular that I would like to address:**

**TheTombedSpirit \- First of all, thank you so much for even asking such a question; I'm flattered that you think my writing is good enough to help you with your story. I know that the beginning is always the hardest part, but I only have one simple advice: imagine yourself as the main character (if you're writing with an OC). When I first started writing this story, I imagined what it would be like if _I_ was Merlin's sister, if _I_ had magic, and if _I_ was destined to be the future Queen of Camelot. Put yourself in your character's shoes, and place yourself in the fandom you're writing about. The questions you should always ask yourself when you're writing are: _what would I do? What would I say? How would I react?_ I hope this helps! If it doesn't, please do not hesitate to ask more questions! They honestly make my day, because I absolutely love responding to the readers' reviews. Have a good time writing your story! I'm sure it will be great. **

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"How do you think Ewan is doing?" I heard Morgana ask from behind the screen. Gwen, who was wiping the dust off of the shelves, exchanged a glance with me. I still couldn't get the snakes out of my head. Was it just my imagination, the trick of light, or was it real magic?

"I have no idea... I just hope it's not too bad. I mean he was knocked out." I answered. Gwen nodded in agreement, and Morgana walked out from behind the screen.

"I hope he's alright. It looked like a fatal blow." She said, and I nodded with a frown. The Tournament was entertaining, I'll admit that, but the part where the Knights got wounded or died, was not fun at all. It was brutal. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. I then faced my friends.

"Well, I think I'll go to my chambers. I'll have lunch in there. I really don't feel like talking after what happened." I said, and they nodded in understanding. I gave them both a hug, and then left to my chambers.

*2 hours later*

I just finished fixing my hair, when the doors to my chambers flew open, startling Lena, who was putting away my cloak. I looked in the direction and saw Merlin, panting as if he ran from the other side of the castle. I exchanged a confused glance with Lena, and then looked back towards my brother.

"Merlin what's going on?" I asked, worry clear in my voice. He just kept looking at me. I then faced Lena. "Lena do you mind giving Merlin and I some privacy?" I asked kindly, and she nodded.

"Of course, My Lady." She curtsied, and then left. Merlin closed the door behind her and faced me.

"Well, what's going on?" I asked, and he sat down on my bed.

"Valiant is using magic to cheat in the Tournament." He breathed out, and I looked at him.

"Let me guess. The shield." I said, and he looked at me, surprised.

"How do you know?" He asked, and I sat down next to him.

"I thought it was just a trick of light..." I trailed off, and took a deep breath. "But now I know that it was real." He just looked at me with a confused expression.

"Wait... Slow down. What are you talking about?" He asked, confused. I sighed.

"When Valiant pinned Ewan under his shield, I thought I saw one of the snakes on his shield come alive and bite him. I thought it was just my imagination, but now..." I trailed off with a sigh. Merlin nodded and put a comforting arm around my shoulders. After a minute, I decided to ask a question I was thinking about all the time. "How is Ewan?" Merlin sighed.

"He was bitten by one of the snakes. If we don't give him the antidote, he will die." He said with a frown. I looked down at my hands that were folded on my lap.

"So how can we get it?" I asked, and he sighed heavily.

"I don't know. I wanted to go to Arthur and tell him what happened, but Gaius has forbidden me from going. He said I will only get myself in trouble by doing that. That the King won't listen to me, since I'm only a servant, and Valiant is a Knight." I sighed. This is going to be a really hard task.


	18. We Need to Do Something

**Thank you all for the reviews! I love reading them! I would like to address one in particular:**

**TheTombedSpirit \- Well, I always imagine to be _in _the story. I would act around the room, and the ideas would often pop up in my head ****spontaneously. You might want to think about what _you_ would want to happen, and the idea will pop into your head one after the other. It's all about your imagination, and ability to imagine that your story is _real_ and that _you_ are _in it_. I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I winced. Ouch. That must have hurt. I just watched as Arthur hit his opponent with his shield in the head. And let me just say, it must have been really painful. Now his opponent was lying on the ground, unconscious. The crowd erupted in cheers, and Gwen, Morgana, and I clapped with smiles on our faces. Now the last fight of the day, was between Valiant and another Knight. I was really scared right now, because if Valiant won this round, he will be going against Arthur in the Final. And if he will, Arthur will be in grave danger.

The fight was intense, but it eventually ended with Valiant winning, after he knocked his opponent unconscious by hitting him in the head with the hilt of his sword. Everyone clapped, and so did I, but I sighed mentally. Arthur is in danger. Valiant looked over at me, and winked. I sent him a fake smile, and Morgana nudged me with a smirk. I just rolled my eyes playfully, but on the inside, I was fuming with rage.

*1 hour later*

Merlin and I were sitting in Gaius's headquarters, staring at Ewan's limp body. If he doesn't get the antidote soon, he will surely die. I looked up when the doors opened, but Merlin just kept looking at Ewan. Gaius walked in and stood next to us.

"Merlin... About what I said yesterday. Look, Uther really wouldn't listen to you or me. Not even Anna." He said, and looked at Merlin. "But you're right." At that, Merlin looked up at him. "We can't let Valiant get away with this."

"But we don't have any proof." I said. Gaius nodded.

"Well if I could cure Ewan, he could tell the King that Valiant was using magic, the King would believe another Knight." He then took a deep breath. "But how do we get the antidote? Well, that's another matter." I looked at Merlin and he looked at me. We understood what was on both of our minds and we quickly got up and made our way out the door. "Merlin? Anna?" Gaius called, but we didn't turn back.

We made our way over to the throne room, where the Knights who were competing in the Tournament were dining with the King. We hid behind the pillar to see if Valiant was with them. If he was, then we had a chance in succeeding.

"I do hope to be a worthy opponent." Valiant said, taking a drink from his goblet. Uther nodded and looked at him.

"You should stay in Camelot after the Tournament. I could do with more Knights like you." I looked at Merlin with horror. If Valiant stays in Camelot, no one will be safe. Arthur didn't seem too happy at these words either. I couldn't see his face, since his back was turned to me, but by his posture, I could only guess that he was tense. Valiant smiled and glanced at Arthur.

"I'd be honored, My Lord." He said with a smile. I looked at Merlin and we both nodded. Now is the time to do this.

We quickly walked down the hallway to Valiant's private headquarters. I peeked through the gap between the door and saw that they were locked from the inside. I looked at Merlin, and then we both quickly looked around to make sure no one was near. I then raised my hand in the air and whispered a spell.

"Aliese." Whilst whispering, I moved my hand to the side, and the lock followed my hand, until it didn't block the door anymore. I looked back at Merlin, and he nodded. I quietly opened the door and quickly looked back one more time to make sure no one was coming. We then quickly stepped into the room, and quietly closed the door behind us. Merlin and I looked forward, and we saw the shield on the chair. The snakes were facing us. I quickly took one of the swords on the stand. I walked a bit closer with Merlin on my heels, and tapped the shield with it. Nothing.

I stepped closer and looked at the shield. Suddenly, I heard the door open, and I quickly turned around. Thankfully it wasn't our door, it must have been the door down the hall. But then, I heard footsteps. I was about to do something, when I heard hissing and saw a shadow of the snake on the wall in front of me. Merlin and I exchanged a quick glance, and then I looked over my shoulder. One of the snakes came out of the shield and was hissing at us. I didn't hesitate. With one swift move I cut its head off. The rest of the body hid itself in side the shield, but the other two snakes came out. Merlin and I looked at each other. He quickly picked up the head and I put the sword back in its place. We then quickly made our way out of the room and rand down the hallway.

We barged into Gaius's quarters and Gaius looked up, startled. He looked at us questioningly, but we didn't say anything. Instead, Merlin just showed him the head of the snake. Gaius looked at us, then back at Ewan, and then he quickly took the head from Merlin. He quickly grabbed the bottle with it's top covered with a piece of cloth, and pierced the snake's fangs into the cloth. It pierced the cloth right through, and the venom flew out into the bottle. Merlin and I waited in anticipation.

"I'll get started preparing the antidote." He said, and we nodded.

"I'm going to tell Arthur." Merlin said, and started walking towards the door.

"You'll need this." Gaius called, and gave him the head. Merlin took it and started walking again. "And Merlin!" He stopped and looked back at Gaius. "What you and Anna did was very brave." We smiled at him and then Merlin disappeared behind the door.

"I'll head to my chambers. Lena is probably wondering where I am." I said, gave Gaius a quick hug, and then left.

Whilst heading to my chambers, there was only one thought in my mind. I hope Arthur will believe Merlin.


	19. Believe Me

**Thank you all for the reviews! I would like to address one in particular:**

**TheTombedSpirit - I'm not sure if I know what you mean, but if you're asking what I think you are, it's really simple. I wrote my story, almost all of it, first on the computer. Then I highlight and copy it, go to the Doc Manager, and paste it. I submit the document, and then choose that document when I post another chapter. I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask!**

*Arthur's P.O.V.*

"You?" I asked with my eyebrows raised, and Merlin looked at me questioningly. "You chopped its head off" I asked in total disbelief.

"Not me, Annabelle. But that's not the point! Ewan was bitten by a snake from the shield when he was fighting Valiant." That idiot explained, and I looked at him as if he suddenly grew a second head. Wait... Annabelle chopped its head off? How is that possible? I mean, she's a girl! A beautiful girl... No! What am I thinking?! But if what that idiot says is true, than that means that she is also a very brave girl. "You can talk to Gaius. You can see the puncture on Ewan's neck where the snake bit him." I rolled my eyes. That's impossible. "Ewan was beating him!" Merlin exclaimed. "He had to cheat."

"Valiant wouldn't dare use magic in Camelot." I shook my head dismissing the subject.

"Ewan was pinned under Valiant's shield. No one could see the snake bite him." Merlin tried to reason, but I shook my head again.

"I don't like the guy. But that..." I trailed off and stood up from my chair. "Doesn't mean he's cheating." I finished, and turned away from my servant.

"Gaius is preparing an antidote to the snake venom. When Ewan's conscious he'll tell you what happened." I turned around to face him. Maybe... Maybe he is telling the truth. I mean he wouldn't bring another Knight into this if he was lying... Right? "If you fight Valiant in the Final, he'll use the shield. It's the only way he can beat you." I looked at him with my eyebrows raised. "Look at it." he said, picking up the head of the 'snake' and putting it in front of my face. "Have you ever seen any snakes like this in Camelot?" I looked at the head and took it in my hand. I examined it carefully for a couple of seconds. I have never seen any snake like this. Not in Camelot, not anywhere. But the snake did look exactly like the ones on Valiant's shield. "I know I'm just a... Servant. And my word doesn't count for anything." Merlin said and I looked at him. "I wouldn't... Lie to you." I looked at him and studied his expression. He really looked like he was telling the truth. I took a deep breath.

"I want you to swear to me... What you're telling me is true." He looked me right in the eyes.

"I swear it's true." I looked at him and then nodded.

"Then I believe you." I said, and looked back down at the head which was still in my hand. He actually might be telling the truth. Everything makes sense.

Besides, not only will it ensure the safety of everyone else, but Annabelle will also see that Valiant is not the right guy for her. I am fighting to prove myself a strong leader to my People, a good, strong, young man to my Father, but also a man worthy of attention to Annabelle. And if I win, I will have the great honor of escorting her to the Feast. And that will be the greatest price I could ever get.


	20. The Audience

**Thank you all so much for your reviews! I absolutely love reading them, and I can't wait to read anything you have to say about this chapter! Also, TheTombedSpirit, you're very welcome! I'll be glad to answer any more questions you have for me!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V*

I quickly left my chambers as soon as Lena helped me change, and quickly made my way down to the council chambers. Once I got there, I quickly took my spot in between Morgana and Gwen. As soon as I turned around, the King walked in.

"Why was the Court summoned?" He asked, and Arthur stepped in the middle of the room.

"I believe Knight Valiant is using a magic shield to cheat in the Tournament." He said, walking closer to the King, and leaving Merlin with his hands behind his back slightly behind him. Morgana looked at Gwen shocked, but I just kept my eyes on Merlin. He caught my gaze and nodded, letting me know that Arthur believed him. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"Valiant what do you have to say this?" Uther asked, turning his gaze to Valiant.

"My Lord this is ridiculous, I've never used magic." He said, as he walked closer to the King, and looked at Arthur with hate. "Does your son have any evidence to support these outrageous accusations?"

"Do you have evidence?" Uther asked, turning his gaze to Arthur again.

"I do." Arthur nodded and gestured for Merlin to step forward. Merlin did and gave Uther the head of the snake that I beheaded. Uther carefully examined the head, whilst Valiant looked at Merlin and Arthur with pure hatred.

"Show me your shield." Uther demanded, and Valiant took out his shield from underneath his cloak. He then held it in his hands in front of Uther.

"Be careful, My Lord." Arthur said, unsheathing his sword. Uther stopped for a second and glanced at Arthur before sliding his hand across the top of the shield. I heard the door open quietly and saw Gaius coming to stand next to the stone pillar. Arthur and Merlin exchanged a few words, and then Merlin walked towards Gaius. They spoke quietly as Uther kept examining the shield.

"As you can see, My Lord, it's just an ordinary shield." Valiant said nonchalantly.

"He's not gonna let everyone see the snakes come alive!" Arthur exclaimed, looking at the Lords and Ladies of the Court.

"Then how am I to know what you say is true?" Uther interrogated. Arthur looked at his father.

"I have a witness... Knight Ewan. He was bitten by one of the snakes from the shield. Its venom made him grievously ill. However, he's received an antidote. He will confirm that Knight Valiant is using magic."He said, looking between Valiant and Uther. The King turned to look at his son.

"Where is this witness?" He asked, and Arthur looked around.

"He... Should be here." He said looking back at Merlin. I looked around and didn't see Ewan anywhere. Arthur waked up to Merlin and exchanged some words with him.

"I'm waiting!" Uther boomed, causing Morgana, Gwen and I to jump. Arthur looked at his father and looked back to the the middle of the room.

"I'm afraid the witness is dead."He said, and I looked down with a sigh.

"So you have no proof to support these allegations." Uther stated, walking closer to his son. Arthur looked down. Have you seen Valiant using magic?"

"No." Arthur admitted. Valiant looked at Uther smugly. "But... My servant fought-"

"Your servant?" Uther hissed, looking at Arthur as if he's grown a second head. "You make these outrageous accusations against a Knight, for the words of your servant?"

"I believe he's telling the truth!"

"My Lord, am I really to be judged on some 'he say' from a boy?" Valiant asked smugly.

"I've seen these snakes come alive." Merlin said, stepping from behind Arthur and in front of the King.

"How dare you interrupt?!" Uther boomed, furious. "Guards. I sighed and covered my face with my hand as two guards took Merlin by his arms and started dragging him out of the room. I felt Gwen rub my arm in comfort.

"My Lord." Valiant began.

"Wait!" Uther said, causing the guards to stop. Merlin looked at Valiant from behind his shoulder. I'm sure he was merely mistaken." Valiant stated. "I wouldn't want him punished on my account." I rolled my eyes discreetly. What kind of game is he playing?

"You see?" Uther said, getting easily fooled by Valiant 'honorable' words. "This is how a true Knight behaves." He looked at Arthur in particular. "With gallantry and honor." Arthur looked down at the floor, clearly hurt by his father's words, but Uther took no notice to his actions.

"My Lord, if your son made these accusations because he's afraid to fight me then..." Valiant started, causing both Uther and Arthur to look at him in surprise. "I will graciously accept his withdrawal." Uther looked at Arthur, whilst Valiant looked at Arthur with a smug smirk.

"Is this true?" Uther asked. "Do you wish to withdraw from the Tournament?"

"No!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Then what am I to make of these allegations? Uther asked quietly. I looked at Arthur with sympathy. He really does carry a great burden.

"Obviously there has been a misunderstanding... I... Withdraw the allegations against Knight Valiant."Arthur said, sheathing his sword. He then looked at Valiant, who was still smirking. "Please accept my apology." H said, looking down.

"I accept it." Valiant said with a smirk, obviously pleased that his plan has worked. Arthur looked at the King one more time and then turned around and quickly left the chambers. I looked at Morgana, and we both sighed. The guards that have been holding Merlin let him go, and he looked at Valiant with hate, then at Gaius who looked down, before turning around and going after King left shortly after. We all stayed here for one more minute, and then one by one we all left. I turned around and gave Valiant a look of pure hatred. He looked at me and smirked. "I'll see you at the Feat, My Lady." he said, and then left. I sighed in frustration. What am I supposed to do now?!


	21. The Third Day of the Tournament

**Thank you all for the reviews! I look forward to reading more of your thoughts on this story!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V*

I fumbled with my dress nervously, and sighed. How long will it take for Merlin to figure out this freaking spell?! The Tournament starts in 10 minutes! Yesterday, we were both sitting on the steps of stairs in front of the main entrance to the castle, and we agreed that we have to do something to stop Valiant from killing Arthur. Gwen talked with Merlin a while before, so now he was even more determined to do something. My eyes fell on the granite statue of a dog, and then I realized that the only way to defeat Valiant is to expose him for who he really is. Merlin got a wheelbarrow from Gwen, and we brought the statue of the dog all the way to Gaius's headquarters and to our room. I found the Animation Spell in the book from Gaius, and Merlin put the dog in our room and gave the wheelbarrow back to Gwen. I then had to go back to my chambers and have dinner, but Merlin had to practice the spell until it works. He was supposed to come to my chambers today before the Tournament to tell me how to pronounce the spell, since my magic is more powerful, but he hasn't come yet, and I'm starting to get worried.

Merlin told me that he went to see Arthur and tried to persuade him to withdraw, but Arthur said that it will make him look like a coward in front of the People. So now, since there's still 10 minutes until the Tournament, I decided to go to Arthur and wish him luck. The doors to his chambers were slightly open, so I walked in without knocking and saw a servant helping Arthur with his armor, since he fired Merlin yesterday after the audience with the King. When the servant saw me, he bowed his head and left. I walked over to Arthur and hesitantly put my hands on his back.

"Let me?" I asked, referring to his armor. He nodded his head lightly, so I clasped the belt on his back shut and made sure that his armor clings tightly to his body. I then walked in front of him and finished tying the the strings that connected the gauntlet on his arm. I saw the confused look on his face, and smiled lightly. "Gwen told me everything there is to know about armor." I said and he nodded in understanding. I then walked over to the table next to us and grabbed his helmet and gave it to him. He looked at me with soft eyes.

"Thanks." He smiled, and I managed a small smile back. He then started heading toward the doors.

"Arthur?" I called, and he looked at me over his shoulder. "Be careful." I said, and he nodded with a small smile.

"See you at the feast." He said, and walked out of his chambers. I sighed. Why am I acting like this?

*10 minutes later*

I sat in between Gwen and Morgana again, fumbling with my cape. I was really nervous. Valiant was already in front of us, and was looking at me with a smirk. The crowd roared in cheers, and I saw Arthur walking out from the courtyard. He looked at his father, who sent him a nod, and then looked back at Valiant. They both put on their helmets and Arthur held out his sword in front of him. He looked at me and I sent him a small smile in encouragement. Valiant clashed his sword against Arthur's lightly as a sign of peace, and then they both got into their ready positions. Everyone went quiet and stared at the two opponents. Finally Valiant gave out a yell, and and charged at Arthur.

Their sword clashed and they both fought with everything they got in them. Everyone leaned closer and gripped their seats when Valiant pushed Arthur back with his shield. I watched in anticipation as Valiant hit Arthur's shield with is sword, and Arthur spun around and clashed his sword against Valiant's shield. At one point Arthur hit Valiant in the head with his sword, making his helmet fall off. They looked at one another for a few seconds, and then Arthur took off his helmet as well and threw it on the ground. Everyone cheered at his honorable gesture, but I just looked at him with more worry. Now his head is an easy target.

After couple of seconds, Valiant stepped on Arthur's foot to keep him in place and hit him in the chin with his shield. Morgana and I both covered our mouths with one hand, and I gripped Gwen's arm with my other hand, since she also had her hands clasped together in front of her face. Arthur fell down, and Valiant charged at him. He stepped on Arthur's shield, making him unable to move, and Arthur tried to slash him with his sword, but only collided with Valiant's shield instead. But that caused Valiant to take a step back, so when he tried to give the final blow in Arthur's chest, Arthur was able to roll out of the crowd gasped as the sword embedded itself in the ground. I slowly lowered my hand from my mouth, but gasped again as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I whipped around, only to face Merlin. He leaned down so that he could whisper the Animation Spell in my ear. He repeated it twice to make sure that I remembered it, and I nodded in understanding. He quickly left, and I leaned forward in my seat and raised my hand about three centimeters in the air. High enough to have the effect, and low enough for everyone not to notice.

"Bebiede þe arisan cwicum." I whispered lowly so that none would hear me. Suddenly, the two snakes emerged from the shield. I'm guessing the third snake won't show itself after I cut its head off. Everyone got up from their seats and watched the snakes in shock.

"He is using magic." Uther growled. Arthur then faced his father.

"And now they see you for what you really are!" Valiant looked at him and chuckled. Suddenly the snakes left the shield.

"KILL HIM!" He yelled, and the snakes started crawling towards Arthur. It was then the I noticed that he was disarmed. I looked around in panic, and my eyes landed on the sword in the sheath of the Knight next to Uther. I quickly and gently pushed Morgana out of the way and took the sword out of the Knight's sheath.

"Arthur!" I yelled and threw the sword to him. He caught it and quickly chopped off the snakes' heads. He then turned to Valiant again. Their swords clashed and then Arthur moved forward quickly and plunged the sword into Valiant's chest. He then lowered his body onto the ground and the crowd erupted in cheers. Morgana, Gwen and I all clapped with relief. Arthur looked over at me, and I smiled. He was safe, and it was over.


	22. Another Feast But Different

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*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"My honorable guests!" The King called. Everyone in the feast stepped out of the way and closer to their seats, forming an aisle and revealing 'the Lady Annabelle' at the end. "I give you Prince Arthur. Your Champion!" Everyone clapped as Arthur made his way over to Annabelle. When he saw her, he had to stop himself from staring. She looked absolutely stunning. He walked up to her with a smile plastered on his face.

"My Lady." He said quietly, holding out his arm. She gladly took it.

"My Champion." Annabelle said, curtsying. They smiled at each other and made their way down the aisle. Merlin and Gaius stood over to the side, clapping along with everyone else.

"See? I told you he gets all the girls. One of them being my sister." He said, frowning. He wasn't too fond of the idea of his sister falling in love, but he knew that it would happen one day eventually. The couple made their way down the aisle, and everyone watched them with smiles. They all thought they were the cutest, most charming couple they have ever seen. Even the King had to admit that they looked perfect together, but he still believed that Annabelle is just a serving girl and does not have the right to be with his son. But of course no one except for him, Arthur, Guinevere (who was standing on the other side of the aisle and watching Merlin with a slight smile), Merlin, Gaius, and Morgana knew of Annabelle's true identity, so he just put on a fake smile and clapped along with everyone. But deep inside, he started to regret the decision of making Annabelle a Lady and letting her get that close to his son.

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Has your father apologized yet for not believing you?" I asked as we walked down the aisle. Arthur lightly shook his head and gave me a small smile.

"He'll never apologize." He answered, shaking his head lightly. "I hope that you're not disappointed Valiant's not escorting you." He said, and I looked at him once we reached the end of the aisle. Oh, trust me, I was not disappointed at all.

"Turns out he wasn't really Champion material."I replied smoothly.

"That was some Tournament Final." Arthur said, and I nodded.

"Yes, it was... And I think you owe someone an apology." I said, nodding my head in my brother's direction. He looked over at him for a second and then back at me. "You are not your father. I knew that since I met you. Your father would never allow a serving girl tell him what to do. But you actually listened to me." He started to protest, but I cut him off. "You are not like your father, so go and apologize." I could see that he was about to argue, but I gave him a stern look. He sighed in defeat, and I smiled in victory.

"Alright, alright." He sighed, and I stifled a laugh. He then took my hand and placed a gentle kiss on it. "My Lady." He bowed his head, and I smiled lightly. He then walked off to Merlin, and I walked over to Morgana and Gwen. Morgana looked at me once she heard me approaching, and smirked.

"Well, well, well..." She sang, and I gave her an innocent look.

"What?" Gwen also turned her attention towards me.

"It seems as though our dear Prince Arthur has taken a liking in you." Gwen smirked, and I looked at her in shock.

"Um... I don't think s0. "I replied, and they both rolled their eyes.

"Oh come on! It's so obvious!" Morgana exclaimed, and this time it was I who rolled my eyes.

"Nothing is obvious! We're just friends."I replied nonchalantly. I saw that they were about to argue, so I quickly added, "Besides, he's a Prince, and I'm a serving girl. It would never have worked out anyway." They both frowned, but after a second I saw a strange twinkle in their eyes.

"So you do like him!" They both exclaimed, and I sighed in annoyance.

"No, I don't!" They both just giggled, and I sighed in irritation. And then I got the best idea ever. "But since we're on the topic... Gwen, mind telling me how you and my brother are doing?" I asked innocently. Gwen stopped giggling and blushed scarlet red, whilst Morgana and I giggled.

"I-I don't know w-what you're talking about." She stuttered, and I chuckled.

"You have feelings for my brother, don't you?" I asked, and she sighed.

"Is it that obvious?" I nodded.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he feels the same way." I assured her, and she nodded, still unsure.

*Later that Night*

Lena helped me change into my nightgown, and I got into bed after thanking her and wishing her a goodnight. Once she left, I sighed and closed my eyes. The Knights all leave in the morning, and I will stop being a Lady. I will go back to being a servant again. I don't mind! I hate when people bow and curtsy to me. Like I was better than them. I'm not! It's just... After I stop being a Lady, I won't be able to spend as much time with Arthur. Wait! Why do I care?! I don't... Right? Ugh, what's happening to me?


	23. Victims

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*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I watched with Merlin as Gaius knelt next to a victim in the town.

"Aren't you scared?" I asked, and Gaius looked up.

"Of what?"

"That you might catch whatever it is." I replied.

"I'm the Court Physician, Anna. This is part of my job." He explained, as Merlin and I squatted down on the other side of the body. "Most of the time there's nothing really to be scared of." I nodded in understanding but froze once Gaius turned the body over so that we had a perfect view of his face. It was ghostly pale with a hint of blue to it. All the veins were visible and the eyes were wide open, revealing them to be fogged with pale blue as well. I looked up at Gaius as he looked at Merlin and I.

"You were saying?" I asked, and he looked around.

"People mustn't see this. They will panic." Merlin and I quickly got up and looked around for something to cover the body with. Merlin quickly grabbed a green blanket as people passed by us. Merlin went over to the house near us and grabbed a cart. He and Gaius then lifted the body up and put it on the cart. We then decided to head back to Gaius's quarters.

As we were getting closer to the castle, I heard a familiar voice behind us.

"What're you doing?" I turned around along with Merlin and Gaius, and saw Gwen standing there with a bunch of white and purple flowers. She looked extremely pretty and happy today. She was radiating.

"Oh ah... Just moving something." My brother replied, lying terribly.

"Looks heavy." Gwen said, and Merlin turned to face her.

"Um it's nothing really. Um..." He trailed off as his eyes fell on the flowers Gwen was holding. "Someone got you flowers!" He exclaimed, with jealousy lacing through his voice.

"Oh!... No." She replied, shaking her head. I saw my brother relax, and Gwen looked at him. "Would you like one? A purple one." She said, and took a purple flower out of the bouquet and handed to him. "Purple suits you." A giggle escaped my lips, and I quickly covered my mouth with my hand to muffle it. "Uh n-not that I'm saying that red doesn't suit you." I looked at Gaius, and he looked at me with a smirk. I quickly covered my mouth so that I wouldn't laugh out loud.

"Thanks, well uh..." Merlin trailed off as he looked at himself, probably trying to find a place to put that flower. He obviously couldn't find one, so he just put it in his scarf that was loosely tied around his neck. He smiled at Gwen and she returned it. "Uh see ya." He said, and grabbed the cart again.

"Bye." Gwen said with a dreamy smile. I giggled. Oh how I will tease her later. Merlin then started pushing the cart again, and Gaius and I followed. I then remembered something and turned back to Gwen.

"Oh Gwen! Could you please tell Morgana that I'll come a little later than usual? Gaius needs me right now, but I'll be there in about 30 minutes." She nodded in understanding, but I could see that she was still in daze after talking with my brother, so I walked closer and snapped my fingers in front of her face. She snapped out of it, and looked at me. She obviously didn't hear a word form what I said, so I just sighed and shook my head, and turned around following Gaius and Merlin back into the castle. Ah, young love.

*7 minutes later*

I watched in anticipation as Gaius looked through his magnifying glass at thee man's, body's, victim's face.

"I've never seen anything like this before." He declared.

"Do you think it could be some kind of plague?" I asked.

"No, I fear that something like this could never come from nature." He replied, putting his magnifying glass down on the table. "But who has this kind of power?" I looked at him shocked.

"You think it's caused by magic?" Merlin and I both asked. Before he could reply we heard a knock on the door and turned to the sound.

"Merlin!" I recognized Arthur's voice as it rang from outside the door. Merlin sighed and went to open the door, but only a little so that the body couldn't be seen. Once he opened the door, I saw Arthur's handsome face from behind.

"Um, I'm on my way. Sorry I'm late." Merlin said with a smile.

"Don't worry. I'm getting used to it." I giggled, and Arthur peered through Merlin's shoulder to look at me. Once he saw me, he smiled and gave me a nod. I smiled back and curtsied. Arthur then turned to look at Merlin, and he obviously was going to say something, but stopped himself as his eyes fell on Merlin's scarf, where the flower that Gwen gave him still was.

"Oh, uh... Gwen. Uh she gave it to me." Merlin explained, and Arthur nodded. He then peered over Merlin's shoulder again, but this time they landed on Gaius.

"Tell Gaius my father wants to see him now." He said, and then gave me another glance and a smile before walking away.

"Okay." Merlin breathed out, and closed the door. He then turned around to face us. "Gaius-"

"I heard." Gaius cut him off.

"Then why couldn't you just tell him yourself?" Merlin asked, walking back to stand next to me.

"'Cause that's the way it is. You're a servant." Gaius replied.

"If he knew who I was, I would've done-"

"You're dead servant." This time it was I who cut him off. He looked at me and then back at Gaius.

"Right. Get this covered up." Gaius said, and Merlin looked at him.

"OI, I'm not your servant." Merlin said, and Gaius topped and looked at him.

"No you're my dogs buddy. And Anna is my assistant. Come on, hurry up." Merlin gave him a small smile and then grabbed a sheet that was on the chair next to him, and covered the body. Gaius grabbed his medicine bag, and headed off to Uther with me hot on his heels, and Merlin following close behind.


	24. Sorcery

**Thank you all so much for the reviews!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V*

"What's happened to him?" Uther asked Gaius. We were all looking at another victim of the mysterious illness. It was a man, about 40 or 50 years old. He was one of the royal court servants.

"I don't know, Sire, it's the second case I've seen today." Gaius replied from his place on the floor next to the victim.

"Why didn't you report it to me?" The King inquired. Gaius got up from his knees and looked at him.

"I was attempting to find the cause."

"What did you conclude?" Uther asked.

"I don't think it's time to hurry to conclusions. A scientific process is a long one." Gaius replied calmly.

"What are you concealing from me?" Uther asked and we all looked at Gaius.

"Sire, I have seen nothing like it. The victims are dying in 24 hours and it's spreading fast." Gaius replied, clearly trying to avoid something.

"What is the cause?" Uther inquired.

"I think we should say the cause, the most likely cause, is... Sorcery." Gaius said, and Uther's expression turned from questioning to fearful. He looked down for a second and then took Arthur by his shoulder and took him aside to speak to him quietly.

*Arthur's P.O.V*

"You must find who did this." My Father said, and I nodded.

"I will, Father." I assured.

"Conduct all the searches possible, increase your presence in the town, double the guards at all the gates, and lend the Physician your servant. Also speak to Morgana to lend her maid, your servant's sister, as well." He commanded, and I looked at him in shock.

"Merlin and Annabelle?! But-" I started, but Father cut me off.

"We need Gaius to find a cure. He needs all the help we can give him. If Gaius is right, believe me... The city will be wiped out. This is the kind of magic, that undermines our authority, challenges all we've done. If we cannot control this plague, people will turn to magic for a cure." He explained, and I nodded slowly and hesitantly. "We have to find this sorcerer and quickly."

"Yes, Father." I then gathered all the Knights and most of the guard to conduct the search.

*25 minutes later, Annabelle's P.O.V*

I watched as a Camelot guard kicked the door to someone's house open.I looked at Merlin and Gaius who were on either sides of me, and then back tat the men who entered the house. Arthur was with them. Merlin, Gaius, and I turned around and started walking back to the castle. I looked around, and my eyes fell on a man who was sitting on the ground, leaning on a wooden pole for support. He was ill. I got away from the group and walked up to him.

"Gaius? Gaius, Merlin! He's still alive!" I exclaimed and knelt down next to the man. Gaius and my brother turned around and walked up to us.

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do for him." Gaius said sadly as the man reached out his hand towards him. He was struggling to breathe. Merlin and I looked at Gaius in shock.

"But we haven't even tried!" I exclaimed, and Gaius looked at me.

"If we don't know what the disease is, then how can we cure him?!" He inquired.

"With magic." Merlin and I both said, and Gaius looked at us from a second before grabbing my arm and getting me up to my feet.

"Have a look." He pointed towards the guards, soldiers, and Arthur. "The're suspicious of everyone. This isn't the time to be using magic." He also grabbed Merlin's arm and started dragging both of us back to the castle. "Science will lead us to the source of the disease." He assure, and I nodded reluctantly, but not after glancing at the man behind us with sad, regretful, and full of sorrow eyes.

*15 minutes later*

I covered the body of another victim with a white sheet and walked over to Gaius and Merlin. Gaius was holding up a bottle of white potion above the fire, most probably to boil it.

"What are you doing?" I asked, coming up beside Merlin. Apparently I have a time off as Morgana's maid, so that I can help Gaius and Merlin find the source of the disease and a way to stop it.

"I'm examining the contents of that man's stomach." He said looking up before looking back at the bottle. I scrunched my nose in disgust.

"Will that tell you who did it?" Merlin asked, whilst Gaius took a small bottle with a red liquid and poured a bit into the bottle with the organs of the victim's stomach.

"No but it might tell us how it spread. One thing I do know, this is magic of the darkest kind." he said looking at us, and I shook my head.

"Why would someone use magic like that?" I asked no one in particular. It just seemed so unbelievable.

"Magic corrupts." Gaius explained. "People use it for their own ends."

"But not all magic is bad. I know it isn't." Merlin said, and I sighed.

"I guess it's neither good nor bad. I think it's how you use it." I said, and Merlin and Gaius both looked at me. I guess thy were going to say something, but were interrupted when the door flew open revealing a group of guards and Arthur.

"Sorry, Gaius! We're searching every room in town." Arthur explained as all the guards started looking through all the books and papers, into the cabinets, under the bed, and under the bottles even!

"What for?" Gaius inquired.

"The sorcerer." Arthur replied calmly.

"Why would he be here?!" I exclaimed, and Arthur sighed before turning around to look at me.

"I'm just doing my job."

"Well, we have nothing to hide, go on then, search." Gaius said, and the guards did just this.

"All these books and papers?" Arthur asked, picking up some of them.

"My life's work, dedicated to the understanding of science. You are quiet welcome to read through them if you wish." Gaius said, and Arthur looked at him for a second, before putting the books and papers away quickly as if they were the disease. I chuckled quietly, but he still heard me and looked at me with a smile for a second before turning back and looking around again. His eyes then fell on the door to my and Merlin's room.

"What's this room up here?" He asked, gesturing to the door. Gaius looked at us as Merlin said,

"Uh it's mine and Anna's.

"And what do you expect to find in there?" Gaius inquired, and Arthur turned around to look at us.

"I'm looking for material or evidence suggesting the use of enchantments." He replied, and then entered our room. Gaius leaned in closer.

"What have you two done with the magic book I gave you?" He asked quietly, and I looked at Merlin since he was the one who used it last time. His eyes grew wide in fear and he turned his head to look at the door. I looked at him in fear. What has he done?!


	25. Oh, Dear

**Thank you all for the reviews! I love hearing your thoughts on this story! I would like to address one in particular:**

**ellie \- First of all, thank you for your input. I know, it may seem a bit like that, but if I'm being honest... I really don't like reading a story where the main character is clumsy, or gets embarrassed a lot, or something like that. I just wanted her to be a gorgeous girl. Of course, everyone has their opinions. but... Okay, for example: I'm pretty sure more than 95% of people think that Morgana is prettier than Gwen. Well, that's the case here. The truth is, I'm so ugly and fat and... I just wanted to make my character the complete opposite... Something I would want to be, you know? Whatever I'm putting into my characters, it's something I wish I was. Also, we don't really know the true purpose of her powers yet. All we really know for now is that people who have seen her use her magic can see that it's more instinctive than Merlin's, which will lead to something bigger later on. And no, she's not 'just beautiful, smart, and funny'. As the story progresses, you will see that. I just want to show her like that at the beginning, so that you will see how the events in this story will change her. Thank you for your review! I hope this explains the purpose behind it all!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V*

"Merlin, come here!" Arthur called from my and Merlin's room. "Look what I've found!" I glanced at Gaius with fear in my eyes, and then turned to look at Merlin. He stared at the door to our room for a second and then sprinted towards it. I quickly followed, praying to God that Arthur didn't discover our book of magic.

I ran up the steps and looked at Arthur and Merlin, who were standing next to my cabinet.

"I found a place where you can put things. It's called a 'cabinet'." Arthur said, and Merlin breathed a laugh, whilst I weakly smiled. Arthur then walked around me and over to the other side of the room, and that't when I got a good view of our room. It was a complete mess! there were things all over the place, the bag with my clothes was open and half of my clothes was on the floor. My shoes were all lying around my bed, and the blankets were partially on the floor. I looked around, and then at Merlin, in shock.

"Merlin, what have you done to our room?!" I exclaimed. I saw Arthur give me a glance, and a smirk.

"I suppose he never learned how to clean up." He stated, and I chuckled.

"Well, I tried to teach him, and I thought I have succeeded. Turns out I was wrong." I joked, making Arthur chuckle. I then faced Merlin. "What were you doing in here? It looks as if a wind storm passed through here!" I exclaimed. I then looked at Merlin's bed, and saw the book of magic right next to it. It was partially covered with a blanket that was nearly falling off of Merlin's bed, but you could still see it clearly. I looked over at Arthur, who was still looking around on the other side of the room, and then at Merlin. "Go over to him, and make sure that he doesn't come here for the next 5 seconds." I whispered to him, and he nodded, walking over to stand next to Arthur. I looked back at the book, and then at the blanket. I felt my eyes flash gold, and the blanket slowly fell from the bed onto the book, covering it completely. I looked at Merlin, who was watching me, and nodded. He nodded back, and relief washed over his face. Arthur kept looking around for a second, and then knelt down on the floor and looked under Merlin's bed. I held my breath, knowing that if I covered the book wrong, he will be able to see it. After what felt like forever, he got up and walked over to my side of the room. He quickly looked under my bed, and then behind the screen. Once he was finished, he walked out of the room, with Merlin and I following close behind.

"How long do you think it may be before you find a cure?" Arthur asked Gaius, making him look at him.

"Depends on how many interruptions I get." He replied, and Arthur nodded, looking down.

"Of course. I'm sorry." He apologized, and then looked at the guards. "We're finished here!" The guards put everything back in place, and followed Arthur out the door. Gaius followed as well, and closed the door behind them. He then turned around and came over to us.

"We have to hide that book!" He declared.

"No... We must use it." Merlin said with a slight smirk.

"Don't be stupid." Gaius said quietly, looking at him as if he was nuts.

"If we have this legacy, then what is it for?" Merlin whispered, glancing at me. "You-You keep telling us. It's not for playing tricks."

"You want to practice magic when the King is hunting for sorcerers! Are you mad?!" I exclaimed, looking at him, along with Gaius, as if he grew a second head.

"Merlin, your and Anna's lives are destined for more important things." Gaius said, walking over to another table.

"But if we don't practice, then how will I get to be this... Great warlock?! How will Anna get to be this powerful sorceress?!" Merlin exclaimed.

"There will come a time when your skills will be recognized." Gaius assured, walking over to us.

"Oh!" Merlin groaned. "When?! How long do we have to wait?!"

"Your and Anna's time, will come." Gaius said slowly, and then I realized something.

"I could cure that man we saw." I said, realizing that Merlin was right.

"I know it's tempting to use it the way you find easiest, Anna." Gaius said, and I looked at him in shock.

"Well it is if it would save a life." Merlin argued, and I realized something again. Gaius is probably right.

"Merlin, I think Gaius is right." I said, and he looked at me in shock. "It's no good just saving one person, we have to discover how this illness is spreading." I explained.

"Arthur is out there, right now, looking the sorcerer!" Merlin yelled at me, and I started to get upset.

"A sorcerer who's powerful enough to do this will not be found searching the town!" I yelled. Merlin looked at me, then at Gaius, and sighed in defeat.

"So what can we do?" He asked in a softer tone, and I looked at Gaius.

"Hope that Gaius can find the answer before it kills us all." I replied, and Gaius looked at me.

"I won't find the answer." He said, I looked at him. "But I hope science will." He said, and started mixing another potion. I sighed. This is going to be difficult. I then went to mine and Merlin's room, and closed the door. I grabbed the book of magic, and opened it on the page I studied last night. I took out the poultice that I was working on from underneath my bag, and then placed it in the drawer with the book next to it. I then closed the drawer, and sat on my bed. I tried to make a poultice that will cure the victims, but I suddenly realized something when Gaius said that it's no good curing just one person. I can't use it, because the magic in it will only be able to cure one person. And if I was to succeed, it would look very suspicious, and they would probably blame someone else.


	26. Poor Gwen

**Thank you everyone for your reviews! I really appreciate it! **

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I stood next to Merlin, as Gaius showed us another victim. He told us that this one was different, and that it might help us find the cause of the disease.

"What's different about this victim?" He asked us, and Merlin looked down at the victim.

"Uh... S-She's a woman." Merlin stated, and I looked over at Gaius for a second, rolling my eyes. I then looked back at my older brother with a teasing smile.

"Sometimes I do wonder whether your magical talents were given to the right person." I joked, and he gave a small sigh before looking down at the victim.

"Anna, you took these words right out of my mouth." Gaius said, and I chuckled. "Anything else?" He asked us, and I looked down at the victim as well.

"Um..." Merlin trailed off, and I looked at Gaius.

"She's a Courtier." I stated, making Gaius give me a small smile.

"Ah." He gave a nod.

"But how does that help us?" I asked, a little confused by his way of thinking.

"Courtiers sell their goods in the Lower Town. So what does that mean?" Gaius explained, and gave us another question.

"Um..." This time it was I who trailed off, uncertain.

"That-That sh-she hasn't spoken to any Town's people." Merlin said, and Gaius nodded... But with a grimace.

"Yes, it suggests that the disease is not spread by contact." He explained, and I looked at him in interest.

"Well, they probably also eat different food." I observed, and Gaius nodded.

"Good. Anything else?"

"Um... " Merlin trailed off.

"They doubtfully breathe the same air." I stated, and Gaius nodded once more.

"So what's the only thing they do share?" Gaius inquired. I looked at Merlin.

"Uh... Water." I said, since it is the only thing all the people in the city share, and Gaius nodded. "Water. You think the disease is spread through water?" I realized shocked, and Gaius looked at me.

"Anna... We're a prodigy." He said, walking over the table, and grabbing the bucket that was on the stool next to it. He then held it out to Merlin, indicating that he is supposed to get a sample from the pump. My brother grabbed the bucket, and headed out.

*10 minutes later*

I whipped around from where I was, helping Gaius, once I heard the door open loudly, only to face Gwen with a tear stained face.

"Gwen!" Gaius and I both exclaimed.

"Gaius!" Gwen ran over to us, breathing heavily.

"You have the sickness?" Gaius asked worried, and Gwen shook her head, choking back a sob.

"My father. Please Gaius, he's all I have!" She pleaded, and I looked at her with sympathy.

"Gwen, I have no cure." Gaius said, shaking his head in sorrow.

"I am begging you!" She begged, choking back another series of sobs.

"I wish there was something, anything, but so gar the remedy is beyond what I can achieve." Gaius explained sadly, and more tears poured out of my friend's eyes. Gaius grabbed her hand in comfort. "I'm sorry, Gwen." She choked back another sob and shook her head, before running out of our chambers. It was then I noticed my brother standing near the wall, looking at Gwen with pained eyes. Once she disappeared from our sight, he quickly walked over to us.

"There must be something we can do." He said, and I heard the pain and urgency in his voice.

"My best try is to see if the water holds some answers." Gaius replied, and I grabbed the bucket from Merlin's shaking hands, before he dropped it.

"But that will be too late for Gwen's father!" Merlin exclaimed, and I put a hand on his shoulder.

"I fear you may be right." Gaius replied,grabbing a little glass bottle and pouring some water into it. He then took the flower Gwen gave to Merlin and put it inside the bottle. I looked over at Merlin, but was only able to see his back as he disappeared behind the door of our room.

*Late in the evening*

"Merlin, are you sure you're alright?" I asked from behind the screen, where I changed into my nightgown.

"Yes, I'm fine." He replied, but I didn't believe him one bit. I just hope he won't do anything stupid.


	27. What Have You Done!

**Thank you all for the reviews! I love reading your thoughts on this story! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I was cleaning Morgana's dresser, and she was sitting on a chair in front of a small table, filling out some papers. I was supposed to have time off as her maid, but I had to do something to keep myself busy and not think of those bodies that were lied out in the courtyard. Gwen was on the other side of the room, putting the flowers she got for Morgana in a vase. Suddenly, Arthur's voice filled my ears.

"Seize her!" I looked at Morgana with a confused expression, and she returned the same look. I then heard a clang, and shared a look with Morgana before quickly putting the cloth I wiped the dust with, and Morgana quickly got up, and we both made our way to the other side of her chambers. "Guinevere, I'm arresting you for crimes and contravention to the laws of Camelot, and you did practice enchantments." Arthur declared, and Morgana and I ran out from the other side of the room.

"Gwen?!" We both exclaimed when we saw two guards dragging her out of the chambers.

"What have I done?! I haven't done anything!" She panicked, and then looked over her shoulder to look at us. "Help me, please!" She called. I took a deep breath and turned around to face Arthur.

"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed, and he looked at me with, what I thought is, regret in his eyes.

"I've found a magic poultice in her house." Morgana looked at him as if he grew a second head, but I was frozen where I stood. A magic poultice. The only poultice that could cure someone from this illness was the one I made. Which means only one thing. Merlin did this.

"Oh, that's ridiculous!" Morgana scoffed, and Arthur turned around to look at her.

"How else would you explain her father's recovery?" He inquired, and Morgana and I both shook our heads.

"Well she's innocent!" I exclaimed, knowing perfectly well that it wasn't her who used magic. It was the idiot I call my brother. "I know she's innocent!"

"Well, what can I do?!" He shouted at me, and I flinched a little at the tone of his voice. His softened when he noticed that, and he looked at me with regret. "I'm sorry, Anna. But I can't turn a blind eye." And with that, he left. Morgana and I both exchanged looks of pure panic, before running out of her chambers. She made her way to the throne room, but I made my way over to Gaius's chambers.

Once I got there, I threw the door open, and looked at Merlin and Gaius. I quickly closed the door behind me, and looked at my brother, absolutely outraged.

"What have you done?!" Both Gaius and I yelled at him, and he looked back and forth between us.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"I warned you!..." Gaius trailed off, and I took my chance.

"You stole the poultice I made!" I shouted, and he looked at me with a pleading look, but I just continued. "And you used the spell I found in the book of magic to start the healing! What were you thinking?!" I saw Merlin's expression, and nodded sarcastically. "Oh, I understand. You thought you were doing good!" I exclaimed sarcastically, and he looked at me in disbelief.

"I couldn't just let her father die knowing I could cure him!" He defended himself, and this time I looked at him in disbelief.

"Didn't you think it might look a bit suspicious? Hm? The curing of only one man?!" I yelled, and he looked down, not knowing what to say.

"Well then... All I have to do is... I'll cure everyone!" He exclaimed, and I looked at him as if he were nuts.

"But you don't even have an idea how to make the poultice! It was I who made it, and you stole it from me to cure the girl you are in love with's father! Do you want to know why I didn't use the poultice?! Because I knew that if I cured only one person, someone else would get blamed!" I shouted at him, and he looked down in shame.

"Anna's right, Merlin." Gaius backed me up. "Besides, it's too late. They think Gwen is a sorceress and that she caused the disease."

"But she didn't!" Merlin exclaimed, and started making his way out the door.

"Oh!" I exclaimed sarcastically, and looked at him. "And how are you going to prove that?!" He just looked at me for couple of seconds, and then walked out. I looked at Gaius, and he sighed. I looked at him with panic, and then quickly ran out the door.

I bumped into Morgana in front of the throne room, and I looked at her with tears in my eyes.

"What's going to happen to Gwen?" I asked, fearing the answer. She sighed and looked at me.

"I don't know." She whispered, and I felt a tear run down my cheek. She must have seen it, because she wiped it away and quickly pulled me into a hug. I felt something wet on my shoulder, and realized that she was crying as well. We pulled away and wiped our cheeks so that no one would see we cried.

"We have to do something." I stated strongly, and she nodded in agreement.

"I know. But for now, all I can do is try to persuade Uther to let her go, but I doubt he'll agree. The only person that might have a slight chance at changing his mind is Arthur." She said, and then we both walked into the throne room. I made my way over to the side, whilst Morgana walked over to stand next to Gwen, who was on her knees in front of Uther, who sat on his throne.

"I believe you." Morgana stated strongly, and walked over to stand in front of the King. "Perhaps this is a disease that is not always fatal." She said, and Uther looked at her. "Have you thought of that?... Perhaps he recovered naturally."

"What of this poultice that was found?" Uther asked, and Morgana looked down at Gwen.

"What poultice? I don't know anything about a poultice." Gwen defended herself, and Uther looked at her.

"It was found in your house." He said, and stood up from his throne. I looked at Gwen with fear, not knowing what to expect from Uther. "Undo this enchantment. Put an end to this contagion." He ordered, and Gwen shook her head.

"I can't." She tried to explain, but Uther wouldn't listen.

"I can show you no mercy." He said quietly, almost threateningly.

"I am not a witch! I don't know how to stop the illness!" Gwen exclaimed, and I looked at her with tears in my eyes.

"If you will not undo your sorcery, you force my hand, and I must find you guilty." He stated, and I gasped quietly.

"But I've told you, I-" Gwen tried to explain herself, but Uther wouldn't have it, and interrupted her.

"Therefor it is my duty to pronounce judgement... And under this circumstance I have no choice, but to sentence you to death." I covered my mouth with my hand to contain my sobs, and looked at Arthur with tears that were now spilling out of my eyes. Even though I haven't known Gwen for long, she was already like a sister to me. He looked at me for a second, but then quickly looked down.

"No." Gwen gasped, shaking her head.

"I can only hope that when you die this evil plague dies with you." Two guards grabbed Gwen be her arms, and pulled her up to her feet.

"No." She sobbed.

"Take her away." Uther ordered the guards, and they started dragging Gwen away.

"No! Please no, I'm innocent! PLEASE, PLEASE! NO! Please help me! Please I beg you!" She screamed as the guards dragged her out of the throne room. I just couldn't take it anymore. I ran out with sobs escaping my lips and tears falling down my cheeks.

*Arthur's P.O.V.*

I have never felt so guilty in my life. I knew that Guinevere didn't do it. I saw the truth in her eyes. But that was not the worst thing about this whole situation. It was the way Annabelle looked at me. Her eyes held so much pain and sadness. She looked at me as if it was my fault. And it was. And I just couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't stand the way she looked at me. I had to try to persuade Father to let Guinevere go. For Anna's sake.


	28. Gwen Merlin!

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*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I was walking down the corridor to Morgana's chambers. We both agreed to go to the dungeons to visit Gwen, because we knew that if one of us would go alone, we wouldn't be able to handle it. All this time I was walking, I thought about what Merlin did. I knew he loved Gwen, and she loved him, but they were both oblivious to it. I know he meant well, but he was too impulsive.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I bumped into someone's chest. I looked up, only to see Arthur looking down at me. I immediately looked down and curtsied, but he grabbed my arms and pulled me back up into a standing position.

"My Lord." I greeted quietly, and I heard him sigh.

"Please Annabelle, call me Arthur." He said, and I nodded, still refusing to meet his gaze. I heard him give another sigh, before lifting my chin up gently with his fingers to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry about Guinevere." He said quietly, and I gave him a nod in thanks. I could see that he truly meant it, but I couldn't help but still blame him for Gwen's sentence. I went to walk around him, but he stopped me by grabbing my arms gently. "I know you think this is all my fault." He said quietly, and something in me snapped.

"It is your fault." I growled, pushing his hands off of me. "You were the one who arrested her, and you were the one who turned her in, even though you know she's innocent!" I expected him to defend himself, but he just looked down in, what I think is, shame.

"I know, I'm sorry." He then looked at me. "I tried to persuade my father to let her go, but he wouldn't listen." I looked at him in shock. "I really am sorry, Anna." He said in a quiet and regretful tone. I sighed and looked at him with a small, soft smile.

"Well, thank you for talking to your father. But if you'll excuse me, I have to go to Morgana." I said, and he nodded. I went to walk around him, but he stopped me by grabbing my hand. I looked at him questioningly, but he just looked at me with a small, warm smile and brought my hand up to his lips, kissing my knuckles. I gave him a small smile, curtsied, and left to go get Morgana.

*5 minutes later*

Morgana and I made our way over to the dungeons. The guard bowed to Morgana and showed us the way to the cell that Gwen was kept in. I thanked the guard, and he gave me a nod with a smile.

"Gwen!" Morgana exclaimed, and we both grasped the bars of the cell door. She started walking over to us, but was stopped shortly by the handcuffs around her wrists that were chained to the wall of the cell and restricted her from coming any closer.

"Thank you." She said, and Morgana and I both looked at her, confused.

"What for?" I asked, and she gave us a small smile.

"Coming to see me." She replied, and tears came to my eyes, as well as Morgana's.

"How could we not?" I whispered, trying to contain the sobs that were threatening to escape my lips.

"You're our best friend." Morgana finished in a quiet voice, and tears came to Gwen's eyes.

"You both were the greatest friends I could ever ask for." She said quietly, and Morgana and I both looked at her in shock.

"Why are you saying that?" I asked, and she looked at me, confused.

"Why are you saying that as if it was a goodbye?" Morgana clarified with tears running down my cheeks.

"Because it is." Gwen replied, and I looked at her with tears spilling out of my eyes.

"No." I denied, and shook my head. Morgana did the same thing, agreeing with me.

"No. I'll speak with Uther, he'll let you go." Morgana choked out, and I put an arm around her shoulders.

"You both know as well as I that he won't listen." Gwen said, and a sob escaped my lips. "Just, please... Remember me." At this point all three of us were sobbing. "Go." Gwen ordered, and Morgana and I looked at her in shock. "If you'll stay here too long, they'll think that you're trying to help me escape." We began to shake our heads, but she continued. "Go!" Morgana and I looked at each other, and then back at Gwen. She nodded for us to go, and we did so reluctantly.

When we exited the dungeons, we bumped into Merlin. Morgana looked at him for a second, and then ran away, crying. Merlin looked at me, and I put a comforting hand on his shoulder, before running after Morgana.

*10 minutes later*

I stroked Morgana's hair as she cried into my shoulder. We were both sat on a seat next to a window in her chambers. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I gently pushed Morgana away from me, and walked over to open the door. Once I did, I saw someone I definitely did not expect to see.

Gaius.

"Anna, you have to come quickly." He said with urgency in his voice. I looked back at Morgana.

"Morgana, I need to go with Gaius. Will you be alright?" I called, and she nodded, sniffling. Gaius then quickly walked out, and I followed hot on his heels. "Gaius, what's wrong?" I asked, and he looked at me.

"Merlin." He simply said, and I groaned.

"What has he done now?"

"He told the King that he's the sorcerer that caused the disease." I stopped abruptly.

"What?!" I exclaimed, and he nodded.

"Yes, he did, but thankfully Arthur got him out of that situation." I sighed in relief.

"Well... Thank God for Arthur."

*5 minutes later*

Merlin opened the door to our chambers and stormed in, fuming.

"Arthur's an idiot." He exclaimed, as Gaius and I followed him inside.

"No, he was right to do what he did, and thankfully he saved you from your own stupidity!" I replied.

"Anna's right." Gaius agreed, and Merlin turned around to look at us.

"What else could I do? It's my fault Gwen's going to die." I nodded.

"Yes. But you don't prove her innocence by offering to jump into the flames. You do it by finding out what's causing the disease!" I said, trying to get it through his thick skull.

"Well, w-w-whatever it is, one thing's for sure: Arthur's not going to find it. He thinks, he is so sharp." Merlin blabbered, whilst Gaius looked for something on a table. "Even when I told him I was a wizard, he still couldn't see it."

"Well, sometimes it's pretty hard to spot." I said, still watching Gaius that searched for something all over the place.

"Maybe I should go around wearing a pointy hat." Merlin suggested jokingly, and I looked at him with a teasing smile.

"I don't think you'll find one big enough." I said, as Gaius picked up some keys from another table.

"Alright you two, that's enough." He ordered, and Merlin and I looked at him. "If we're going to save Gwen, we have to find out what's contaminating the water." I nodded in agreement. We then headed out the door.


	29. Afanc

**Thank you all for your reviews! I would like to address one in particular:**

**Guest \- You know what? I am seriously starting to get annoyed. I don't mean to be rude, but you have got to stop this. You read my stories, never comment once, and when you do it's always something negative. If you don't comment on stories, stick to not commenting and stop criticizing me. Every story of mine you read, you had something only negative to say about it. Maybe it's just better to not comment and stop reading instead of being rude. You don't like the story, don't read it. But don't comment only negative things. If you have suggestions, leave them below, but be nice about it for God's sake! You don't have to critique me on every story of mine. **

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Merlin and I followed Gaius into the vault beneath the castle. Once we got to the lowest level in there, with Merlin carrying a torch that he grabbed on the way, we saw a huge pool of water.

"The water in here supplies the whole town." Gaius explained. He then looked at Merlin and gestured towards the pool. "Take a sample." Merlin walked over to the pool and took out a vial from his bag. He then dumped his hand into the water, and once some of it flew into the vial, he took it out and spilled some of it out before closing it tightly. He turned to look at us, and Gaius, who was now holding the torch, nodded. "Let's take it back and examine it." Merlin and I both nodded, and the three of us turned around and started heading back.

But we all froze once we heard a loud splash and a roar from behind us. We whipped around, and saw a horrendous creature that looked as if it was made out of mud. It was inside the pool, and it's teeth were sharp enough that it could rip flesh, not water. We all stared at the creature with wide eyes. It disappeared under the water as fast as it jumped out.

"What the hell was that?!" Merlin and I both exclaimed. I expected Gaius to answer, but instead he just grabbed us by our arms and forced us to go back.

*20 minutes later*

"It was an Afanc." Gaius concluded, looking up to look at us from the book he was studying. He then looked back at the book, whilst Merlin and I exchanged confused glances.

"An... A what?" I asked, and Merlin nodded in agreement, as he was as confused as I.

"A beast born of clay and conjured up only by the most powerful sorcerer." Gaius read, and then looked up. "Now we have to find a way to defeat it. But where?" He looked up, and Merlin and I followed his gaze. He was looking at the four shelves that were filled many books.

"That could take days." I sighed, and Merlin nodded in agreement.

"Gwen will be dead by then." He backed me up, but I could still hear the pain in his voice.

"Have you got a better idea?" Gaius asked, obviously not expecting an answer. Merlin and I both shared a look, and nodded. We did have a better idea.

*The Courtyard*

Merlin and I ran out, but slowed down to a walk once we saw servants and guards making a stake that Gwen is supposed to be burned at. Without any further delay, we both ran as fast as we could.

*The Dungeons*

Merlin ran to the cell Gwen was kept in, whilst I went straight to the Dragon's cave, grabbing a lit torch on the way.

*The Dragon's Cave*

Once I hot to the Dragon's cave, I looked around as I didn't see The Great Dragon anywhere.

"Hello?!" I called out, but was met with only silence. I kept looking around, when I heard a flap of wings above me.

"Hello." I heard a reply."The Great Sorceress returns." He concluded, landing on the rocks in front of me. "As I knew she would."

"I need to know how to defeat an Afanc." I declared.

"Yes, I suppose you do." The Great Dragon replied.

"Will you help me?" I asked hopefully, and The Great Dragon's eyes seemed to soften.

"Trust the elements that are at your command." I nodded in understanding. "Elements..." I murmured.

"But what is it that we have to do?" I heard my brother's voice behind me, and I turned around, only to see his tear stained face. I put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You two cannot do this alone." The Great Dragon shook his head at Merlin. "You two are but one side of the coin. Arthur is the other." This time it was Merlin's turn to shake his head, whilst I just stood there in shock. Arthur?

"Just tell us what is is we have to do." Merlin continued, but The Great Dragon just spread his wings, ready to take off. Merlin saw that, and hos eyes widened. "No!" But The Great Dragon already flew into the air. "Please! Help us!" Merlin called out desperately.

"I have." Was The Great Dragon's reply, and right after that a laugh.

"Oh yeah, right. Thanks." My brother said sarcastically, and I chuckled.

"Come on. I think I know what to do."


	30. The Mark of Nimueh

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*Merlin's P.O.V.*

I jumped off the stool and decided to look at the books on the table instead of the ones on the shelf. Anna has gone to see how Morgana was holding up, and I was busy trying to find a book about elements. Suddenly I heard the door open, but I didn't look up.

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Gaius and I walked together to his chambers. I bumped into him on my way back, and he was coming back from the town. Morgana was still crying, but not as hard as before. We opened the door, only to see Merlin looking through the books that were all over the place.

"Merlin, what are you doing?" Gaius asked, placing his bag that was slung over his shoulder on the table.

"Looking for a book." My brother replied, not looking up.

"Care to tell me which one?" Gaius asked, walking over to him, and me following close behind.

"A book on elements." Merlin replied, still looking through the books.

"Elements?" Gaius asked, surprised.

"Yes. Which one would I find them in?" Merlin asked urgently.

"Well most often the study of base elements is at the very heart of the scientific process." Gaius replied, and I looked at Merlin for a second, before turning my gaze to our guardian.

"But how would that help us kill the Afanc?" I inquired, and both of them looked at me.

"Well the Afanc is a creature made of earth and water." Gaius said, and I nodded.

"But that is only two of the four base elements. What about the other two?" I asked, and Merlin looked at me surprised that I knew that, whilst Gaius was lost in thought.

"Well... Perhaps they would destroy it. Wind and fire. Wind and fire!" Gaius said, and I locked eyes with Merlin. We both nodded, and he quickly stood up. "How did you two find this out?" Gaius inquired looking at Merlin, and my dear brother pointed at me, making Gaius turn his gaze to me instead.

"Um..." I trailed off, trying to make up a believable lie. I felt bad for lying to Gaius, but I don't think The Great Dragon would like it if I told his secret. "I just knew, you know? Part of my powers."

"What else do your powers tell you?" Gaius asked, interested.

"That... We are only one side of the coin." I replied, and Merlin decided to butt in.

"The brighter side obviously." He interjected, making me elbow him in the stomach.

"And who's the other side?" Gaius inquired, and I sighed.

"I think that might be Arthur." Gaius looked at me surprised. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the door being thrown open.

"They're bringing forward the execution." Morgana's voice filled my ears, and I turned around only to see her strolling over to us with tear-stained cheeks and slightly red eyes. "We have to prove Gwen's innocence."

"We're trying." Gaius tried to assure her, but she shook her head.

"Please." She pleaded. "Just tell me what I can do to help.

"We need Arthur." Merlin said seriously, and she looked at him shocked.

"Arthur?"

"There's a monster, and Afanc, in the water supply. That's what's causing the plague." Merlin explained, walking over to us.

"Well we must tell Uther." Morgana said, and we all shook our heads.

"The Afanc is a creature forged by magic. Telling Uther won't save Gwen. He'd just accuse her of conjuring it." I explained, and she nodded in understanding.

"So what are we to do?" She asked.

"We need to destroy it, then the plague will stop, and Uther..." Merlin trailed off and looked at me.

"Might see sense." I finished for him.

"And that's why you need Arthur." Morgana nodded in understanding.

"He's our best chance." Merlin said. "But he won't want to disobey the King." Merlin looked at Morgana pointedly, and she nodded.

"Leave that to us." She said, and turned around to walk away, but I looked at her confused.

"Us? Wha-Morgana!" I exclaimed as she grabbed my wrist and pulled me with her.

*5 minutes later*

"I still can't believe you got me to do this!" I whispered to Morgana as we waited for Arthur in his chambers, but she just waved me off.

"You have a bigger chance of persuading him than I." She replied, and I opened my mouth to say something, but was interrupted by footsteps from the other side of the room. We both turned our heads, only to see Arthur walking over to us. He looked quite shocked to see us. Well, particularly me.

"You two alright?" He asked with worry. Morgana and I looked down, and he looked down at the table in front of us, that was covered in so much food that if I didn't know any better, I'd think someone had a food fight in here. "Sorry about all this. Merlin's not been in today."

"Poor Merlin." Morgana stated.

"Yeah." Arthur nodded, a little sarcastically.

"He's a wreck ever since Gwen's been sentenced to death." I said, my voice cracking slightly at the end.

"He offered to give up his life to save her's." Morgana nodded, and then looked at Arthur. "I certainly can't imagine any man loving me so much." Arthur shook his head.

"No, I certainly can't imagine that either." He stated, and Morgana looked down with a smirk, whilst I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.

"That's because you're not like Merlin." Morgana stated. "He's a lover." Arthur nodded.

"Yeah, maybe that's... 'Cause I haven't found the right person to love." He teased, but I noticed him glance at me for a second. Morgana elbowed me gently in the ribs, letting me know to say something.

"Sadly the age of gallantry seems to be dead." I called after him as he walked over to the other side of the room. He turned around to face me, and I took that as my cue to continue. "You look around and all you see are small men, not big enough to fill their armor." Arthur raised his eyebrows at me, so I looked down, but continued with a small smirk. "It's not one of them that is able too stand up for what is right." I looked up once I heard him stop right next to me. He gave a defeated sigh.

"What do you want me to do?"

Morgana and I shared a smirk.

*10 minutes later*

Merlin, Morgana, Arthur and I all entered the vault beneath the castle. Merlin and Arthur both grabbed a torch, and lit them. Arthur then started walking down the stairs with his sword in one hand, and the torch in the other. I followed him, Morgana behind me, and Merlin behind her.

"You better be right about this, Merlin." Arthur grunted as we made our way further in.

"I saw the creature too. It should be somewhere here, and if we can kill it, then the plague will stop." I said, and he nodded somewhat reluctantly.

"Alright."

Suddenly a growl echoed in the cave, and Morgana gasped in fear, whilst I gasped in surprise. Arthur and Merlin both must have heard it as they both faced us.

"You two should stay here." Arthur said.

"We're coming with you." I said strongly.

"No." Both Merlin and Arthur said.

"Scared we'll show you up?" Morgana teased, but I just gave Merlin a stern look until he gave a defeated sigh.

"Father will slam us both in chains if he knew I endangered you, Morgana. And Gaius would kill me himself if he knew you were in danger, Annabelle." Arthur said.

"Well it's a good thing they don't know about it then." I said, and Morgana nodded in agreement.

"I'm telling you Morgana turn back. You could get hurt. So could you, Annabelle." He said with worry in his voice, and I just looked at him.

"So could you." I said seriously.

"If you don't get out of our way." Morgana finished with a smirk, before grabbing my wrist and pulling me ahead of the boys. They soon caught up with us, and we all continued further in. "How are we going to find it?" Morgana asked, and I sighed.

"Let's just hope we do. Before it finds us." I answered. Suddenly I heard a growl behind us, and I turned around. Arthur must have heard it too, because he whipped around and came to stand by my side.

"Stop." He ordered Morgana and Merlin, who obviously didn't hear it as they continued walking.

"What?" Merlin asked, whipping around. Arthur and I continued looking in the direction where we heard the growl come from, but we didn't see anything.

"It's just a shadow." Arthur said, but he sounded as if he war trying to convince himself that it was true. We then continued walking further in.

We finally got to the pool of water that supplied the whole town. We then stopped. There were three different paths.

"Spread out." Arthur ordered, and Morgana shared a look with me. Merlin quickly handed her his torch, and then we all went our separate ways. Morgana and I went to the left, Merlin went to the right, and Arthur went ahead. Suddenly I heard a roar from where Arthur was, and whipped around. I shared a look with Morgana, and then we both ran back.

"What is it?!" She cried. I then noticed Merlin running back to us as well.

"Are you alright?" I asked Arthur, and he nodded.

"Yeah."

"Did you see it?" Merlin asked, and Arthur nodded again, still looking around for it.

"Yes."

"What did it look like?" Merlin inquired as Morgana and I went a little further ahead.

"It-It's quick!" Arthur exclaimed, when suddenly the beast jumped out in front of Morgana and I, causing us to scream. It roared and was about to jump at us, but Arthur quickly jumped in front of us and pushed us behind him. He waved the torch in front of it, and the beast suddenly disappeared in the shadows. "Where is it?!" Arthur exclaimed urgently.

"I think it's gone this way!" Merlin yelled, and we all followed him. We went a little further, until we heard a growl to our left, and we all turned our heads in that direction. The beast then emerged from the shadows, growling at us. Arthur then jumped in front of us, and started fighting it. But he lost concentration for a moment, and the beast was about to jump at Morgana, but she waved the torch in front of it, giving Arthur time to start fighting it again. As he fought, Merlin and Morgana watched, and I stepped a little further back.

"Arthur use the torch!" I yelled, and he listened to me, putting the torch in between him and the Afanc. "Lyft sy þe in bǽlwylm ac forhienan se wiðere!" I felt my eyes flash gold, and suddenly there was a huge gust of wind, blowing the fire of the torch onto the Afanc. The roars of agony filled the air, until the beast disappeared completely. For good.

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

The Sorceress watched Annabelle in the well, that allowed her to see everything and everywhere.

"Annabelle." She growled, and gave a scream of anger, slapping the reflection of the young Sorceress in the well, making it disappear.

*25 minutes later, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Morgana, Merlin, Tom (Gwen's father), and I all ran into the cell that Gwen was kept in. Now that Afanc was no more, she was released.

"Dad?!" She exclaimed in surprise, as he engulfed her into a hug.

"Oh, my baby." He mumbled into her hair, while Merlin, Morgana and I all watched with smiles. Once they pulled away, she immediately rushed to Morgana and held her hands.

"Thank you!" She breathed and Morgana smiled.

"Don't thank me. It was more Merlin." She jerked her head in his direction, making him give a nervous smile.

"Really?" Gwen asked, blushing.

"He's the real hero here." Morgana said.

"I don't know what to say." Gwen said, looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"I didn't do anything." He chuckled nervously.

"Well, I-I'm grateful to you all. Come on Gwen." Tom said, and led Gwen out of the cell. I smiled at their relationship, and headed back to Gaius's chambers.

*1 hour later*

Gaius, Merlin and I were all eating dinner, when Merlin spoke up.

"T-This fish didn't... Come from the water, did it?" He stammered, and I rolled my eyes.

"Where else would it come from?" I asked, and he gave me a look, making me chuckle.

"Water's fine, Merlin. There's nothing to worry about. This was the work of a very powerful sorcerer." Gaius said. "I think it captured your attention, Anna." He said, facing me.

"Yeah." I sighed.

"But no one else seems to appreciate our skills." Merlin said, and I nodded.

"I just wish someone would see us for who we really are." I said, and Gaius gave me a soft smile.

"One day, Anna. One day." He said, getting up from his seat.

"One day what?" Merlin asked.

"One day, people won't believe what an idiot you were." Gaius said, clapping him on the back. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.

"Thanks." Merlin replied, as Gaius sat down. I just couldn't help it. I started laughing, and they quickly joined me.

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

Nimueh watched as the Court Physician, young Warlock, and the powerful Sorceress enjoyed their dinner, and she felt her anger boiling up.

"Annabelle you will pay for this!" She growled.


	31. The Poisoned Chalice

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*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I walked over to Gwen, only to see her laughing at something, or more particularly at someone. We were at the Banquet where the peace treaty between Camelot and Mercia was to be signed. That is why my dress is blue and red. Those were the formal colors of Mercia.

Once I came up to Gwen and saw who she was laughing at, I froze with my eyes wide and mouth hanging open. My brother was wearing the most hilarious outfit ever! Well, at least the hat. He was wearing the official ceremonial robes of the servants of Camelot, but the hat was absolutely ridiculous. You couldn't even see the hat because of all the feathers on it. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing, whilst Gwen let out a chuckle, but quickly bit her lip.

"Nice hat, Merlin." I complimented trying to keep my laughter in.

"Yeah." Gwen agreed, trying to hold in her chuckles. "It suits you."

"Thanks." Merlin said, blushing. I smirked and elbowed Gwen lightly, causing her to look down and blush as well. I then saw my brother glaring at Arthur. I guess he is the one who made him wear this. Suddenly Merlin took off his hat, and started fixing his hair. Gwen and I looked at him weirdly, but he just kept staring at something, or someone, ahead. We followed his gaze, and I saw a beautiful Mercian handmaiden, with black hair, that were almost completely covered with a red turban, and radiant blue eyes. She stared at him as well, but then her gaze drifted over to me, and hardened noticibly. She stared at me as if she wanted to kill me by just looking at me. I looked at her, confused. What had I done to make her hate me so much? I was pulled out of my thoughts by Gwen's voice filled with jealousy.

"She's pretty, isn't she? For a handmaiden, I mean."

"She's pretty for a princess let alone a handmaiden." Merlin replied, not looking at her. Gwen gave a small forced smile and quickly looked away. Our attention then turned to Bayard of Mercia and Uther shaking hands after Uther finished signing the peace treaty. Everyone then stood up and we all started to clap. Gwen then quickly walked away to stand next to Gaius. I sighed and slapped Merlin at the back of his head. "Ow!" He groaned, and turned to look at me. "What was that for?!" He exclaimed, and I rolled my eyes at him.

"You are a complete idiot." I said, before turning around and walkinf away to stand next to Gwen and Gaius. I noticed Gwen looked a bit down, so I put a reassuring hand on her arm.

"People of Camelot." Bayard started. "For a great many years we have been mortal enemies. The blood of our men staines the ground from the walls of Camelot to the gates of Mercia." He said, walking over to stand in the middle of the room. "And though we remember the ones who have died, we mustn't allow anymore to join them. And as a proof of our good will, and our new found friendship," He gestured to Uther." I present the ceremonial goblets." A servant brought a wooden case, and Bayard took out a beautiful goblet. "To you, Uther." He then took out another goblet. "And to your son, Arthur. In the hope that our friendship may last. Tonight we toast a new beginning for our Peoples. We look forward to a future free of toils of war." He then gave the goblets to Arthur and Uther, and a servant came up and filled the with wine. Bayard then raised his own goblet in a toast. "To your health, Uther." Everyone now stood up and raised their goblets as well. "Arthur. The Lady Morgana." He then turned around in a circle and looked at everyone. "The People of Camelot."

"And to fallen warriors. On both sides." Uther added. Bayard nodded in agreement and everyone raised the goblets to their lips.

"STOP! It's poisoned, don't drink it!" Merlin yelled, running back into the room. I didn't even notice he was gone until now. He quickly ran up to Arthur and took the goblet out of his hand.

"What?" Uther asked sharply, whilst Gaius walked up to stand beside his chair.

"Merlin, what are you doing?!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Bayard laced Arthur's goblet. With poison! Merlin declared.

"This is an outrage!" Bayard growled, unsheathing his sword, quickly followed by the Knights of Camelot and Mercia.

"Order your men to put down their swords." Uther ordered as the Camelot guards ran in and circled Bayard with their weapons out. "You're outnumbered."

"I will not allow this insult to go unchallenged." Bayard growled, and Merlin faced Uther.

"On what grounds do you base this accusation?" Uther asked calmly.

"I'll handle this." Arthur said, walking around the table to stand next to Merlin. "Merlin, you idiot. We've been at the slow gin again." He tried to make my brother walk away, but was stopped by Uther's voice.

"Unless you want to be strung up, you will tell me, why you think it's poisoned. Now." He growled at my brother.

"He was seen lacing it." Merlin replied simply.

"By whom?" Merlin visibly swallowed hard.

"I can't say."

"I won't listen to this anymore." Bayard stated.

"Pass me the goblet." Uther demanded coming up to stand next to Arthur and he handed him the goblet. Uther examined it for a second before addressing Bayard, not lifting up his gaze. "If you're telling the truth-"

"I am." Bayard cut him off, and Uther lifted his haze to look at him.

"Then you have nothing to fear, do you?" Bayard immediately sheathed his sword and held out his hand for the goblet, but Uther suddenly shook his head.

"No." Everyone looked at him in shock. "If this does proof to be poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself." He growled, and Bayard scoffed, his hand falling back at his side. Uther then turned around and faced Merlin. "He'll drink it." I covered my mouth with my hands, to suppress the gasp that was threatening to escape my lips.

"But if it is poisoned he'll die!" Arthur exclaimed in disbelief.

"Then we'll know he was telling the truth." Uther replied calmly.

"And what if he lives?" Bayard asked as my brother took the goblet out of Uther's hand.

"Then you have my apologies, and you can do with him as you will." Uther answered.

"Uther please, he's just a boy, he doesn't know what he's saying!" Gaius exclaimed, and Uther turned to look at him.

"Then you should've schooled him better." Uther stated simply.

"Merlin apologize!" Arthur ordered urgently and then faced Uther. "This is a mistake! I'll drink it!" He exclaimed reaching for the goblet, but Merlin pushed his hand away.

"No no no, no, no! It-It's alright." He stated and looked at Bayard first, and then turned his gaze to us. He then lifted the goblet to his lips. Gwen and I both walked up to stand next to Morgana with worry plastered on all of our faces. Merlin then started to drink from the goblet. Once he finished he looked down for a second before looking back at us. We all watched (excluding Uther) with worry and concern, while he turned around to look at Bayard, before turning back to us. "It's fine." He announced, and I breathed a sigh of relief with tears in my eyes.

"He's all yours." Uther said simply, sitting back down along with Morgana. I heard Gwen breath a sigh of relief, but was cut off by Merlin suddenly gasping and choking for his breath. We all looked at him with shock and worry. He coughed, and then fell to the ground, unconscious. Arthur, Gaius, Gwen, and I immediately rushed over to him. "It's poisoned."

"GUARDS SEIZE THEM!"

"Merlin! Can you hear me?" Gaius asked, putting a hand on his forehead. He then turned to Arthur. "We have to get him back to my chambers." Arthur immediately picked him up and slung him over his shoulder. "Bring the goblet." He ordered. "I need to identify the poison." Gwen quickly ran out after them, whilst I grabbed the goblet from the floor, and ran after them as well.


	32. The Only Chance

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*Arthur's P.O.V.*

I kicked the door to Gaius's chambers open, and quickly barged in with Gaius, Guinevere, and Annabelle following closely.

"Lay him on the bed, quickly. He's struggling to breath." Gaius ordered, and I quickly walked over to, what I'm guessing is, his bed. "Gwen, fetch me some water and a towel."

"Is he gonna be alright?" I asked, actually concerned. I mean, that idiot saved my life! I lied him on the bed as fast and gentle as I could.

"He's burning up." Gaius stated, and Annabelle walked forward, with Guinevere behind her.

"You can cure him, can't you Gaius?" She asked with tears in her eyes, passing him the towel and the bucket of water that Guinevere got. I was surprised at how strong she was being. I'm sure every other girl would have instantly burst into tears if it was their brother. But Anna was strong. Very strong. And it made me admire her even more.

"I won't know until I can identify the poison." Gaius answered, putting the towel on Merlin's forehead. "Pass me the goblet." He ordered, and Anna quickly walked over to the table where the goblet was, grabbed it, and passed it to Gaius. He stood up and inspected it for a second, whilst Annabelle took his place on the bench and dabbed Merlin's forehead with the cold towel. Guinevere was standing beside her. "Ah. There' something stuck on the inside." He said, and walked over a table, Anna and I quickly following, whilst Guinevere took her place beside Merlin.

"What is it?" Anna asked, as we both walked over to Gaius.

"Looks like a flower petal of some kind." He replied, grabbing the pinchers, and trying to take something out from the wall of the goblet. Once he did, he rose it up into light, giving Anna and I the perfect view of it. It really did look like some sort of flower petal, but it was nearly see-through, with a little hint of purple to it.

"His brows on fire!" Gwen sighed, panicking a little, making Anna whip her head in their direction.

"Keep him cool. It will help control his fever." Gaius replied, still inspecting the petal. He then quickly put down the goblet on the table, allowing me to grab it and inspect it myself, with Anna standing closely beside me, and walked over to the other side of the table, grabbing a huge book while doing so. He then started to flip the pages, until he found the one he was looking for.

"Ah." He said, looking over the petal quickly, making sure the page was the one he was looking for, whilst Anna and I came to stand on either sides of him. "The petal comes from the Mortaeus flower. It says here that someone poisoned by the water can be only healed with a potion from the leaf of the very same flower." He looked at me, and then continued, showing us a picture of some cave. "It can only be found in the caves beneath the Forests of Balor." He then turned the page, whist Anna and I exchanged looks. We then saw a picture of that flower on some kind of stone wall. "The flower grows on the roots of the Mortaeus tree." I then looked to the opposite page, and saw a picture of a pretty nasty beast that reminded me a of some kind of lizard.

"That doesn't look particularly friendly." I commented with a slight grimace, tapping the picture of the creature with my finger.

"Cockatrice. It guards the forest. It's venom is potent that a single drop would mean certain death." Gaius explained. I sighed quietly and looked over at Merlin. "Few who have crossed the Mountains of Isgard in search of the Mortaeus flower have made it back alive." He finished quietly, and I noticed the determined look on Anna's face making me worry.

"Sounds like fun." She said, before proceeding to make her way out of the chambers, but I automatically blocked her way.

"Annabelle!" Both Gaius and I exclaimed.

"It's too dangerous." I said, and she sighed before looking back at Gaius.

"If I don't get the antidote... What's going to happen to Merlin?" She asked, her voice shaking. Gaius sighed, before answering.

"The Mortaeus produces a slow and painful death. He may hold on for four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. Eventually he will die." I looked at Merlin who suddenly whimpered in pain, and then at Annabelle who had her hand over her mouth, trying to silent the sobs that were coming out of her lips. I might not have ever admitted that to anyone, not even to myself, but Merlin has been a good friend through all this time. I couldn't just let him die! And I couldn't bear the heartbroken look on Anna's face. I had to do something. Without a second thought, I rushed of out of Gaius's chambers, and through the door. I am his only chance now.


	33. They Both Need Help

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*Guinevere's P.O.V.*

"My Lady, I am so sorry I haven't been here to attend to you." I apologized as I rushed to Morgana's chambers, and saw her undoing her hair in front of the mirror, sitting on a chair in front of her dresser.

"Don't worry, I'm alright." She assured with a warm smile, and I nodded. Her expression then turned serious. "How's Merlin?" She asked concerned, and I took a breath.

"If Arthur comes back with the antidote in time, he'll be fine." I said, forcing a small smile on my face.

"And he will be fine." She assured, and I nodded, not so sure. But I tried to keep my hopes up. Her face then showed concern once again. "How's Anna?" She asked quietly, and I sighed.

"It's obviously very hard for her. I saw one or two tears escape, but nothing else. She's very good at hiding how truly hard it is for her." I replied, and she nodded in agreement.

"She's very strong." Morgana agreed quietly, and then looked at me. "You should be with them." I looked at her confused. I cared about Anna and Merlin very much, but I couldn't just throw my job aside. "I'll manage. I know what he means to you. Go." She ordered, gesturing to the door, and I looked at her thankfully.

"Thank you." I breathed, and rushed out of the chambers, after giving a small curtsy.

*The next day, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"He's getting hotter!" I exclaimed after touching my brother's forehead, and then quickly dabbed it with a cold cloth. Gwen was sitting on Merlin's other side, and Gaius was next to his table. As soon as he heard my words, he came quickly over to us. Suddenly Merlin whimpered in pain, and we all quickly looked at him, whilst Gaius sat on my other side.

"Him? Liffrea, wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgea..." He mumbled, and Gaius and I both looked at Gwen with worry, whilst she looked at Merlin strangely. I exchanged a glance with Gaius. She can't know that Merlin and I have magic, no matter what she feels towards my brother.

"What language is that?" She asked, and I looked at Gaius.

"None." He replied, holding Merlin's left wrist. "The fever's taking hold. None of those words are his own." I then continued to dab Merlin's forehead, whilst Gaius checked his pulse. "His pulse is weaker." He concluded, letting go of Merlin's wrist, but must have seen something, because he quickly grabbed it again and moved his sleeve further up. Gwen and I both looked over, only to see a big red mark on the inside of Merlin's forearm.

"What is it?" Gwen and I asked worriedly.

"It can't be right." Gaius mumbled, and then looked up at us. "The rash is not supposed to appear until the final stage." I looked at Gwen with worry, and she returned the same look, whilst Gaius got up, and we both quickly followed.

"What does that mean?" She asked, following Gaius over to his table. He walked over to the book where he found the information about the Mortaeus flower, and looked through the magnifying glass. Gwen stopped next to him, and I quickly stood next to her.

"It says here that once a rash appears, death will follow withing two days." He said, and both Gwen and I looked at him with wide eyes once he looked up at us.

"You said he had four day." I said shakily, trying to stop the tears from coming to my eyes.

"Something's increased the flower's potency." Gaius said, and looked back down at the book. He flipped to the next page, and started reading, whilst Gwen and I looked at Merlin who was lying in Gaius's bed, covered in sweat. Gwen and I both took off his scarf and jacket, leaving him in his shirt to help him breath. "It says that the effect of Mortaeus will be more rapid if an enchantment is used during the flower's preparation." He looked up at us, and we both looked at him in shock and confusion.

"An enchantment?" Gwen asked. "But Bayard's no sorcerer."

"No he isn't." Gaius agreed, and looked deep in thought for a moment.

"Then who did this?" Gwen inquired.

"It can't have been." Gaius whispered, making Gwen and I look at him in wonder. "She wouldn't dare to come here."

"Who?" I asked, but it seemed as though he hadn't heard me. Then, after a few seconds, he turned to look at us with wide eyes.

"Unless!"

"Unless what?" Both Gwen and I asked, confused.

"What happened to that girl?" Gaius asked, and we looked at him confused once again.

"Which girl?" I asked.

"Just before Merlin burst into the Hall, one of Bayard's serving girls took him outside." He explained, looking at Merlin, and then turning to face us again.

"She had dark hair." Gwen remembered, nodding her head. "Very beautiful." She said in jealousy, looking at my brother.

"Find her. Quickly." Gaius ordered, and she looked at Merlin for a second, then at me, then at Gaius once again, and then sprinted out of the room. Once she was gone, I faced Gaius.

"Gaius, I have to help Merlin." I said, and he looked at me.

"How?"

"With magic, but I can't use magic if Gwen's here." I said, and he nodded in understanding. "But I have to help him. He's my brother!"

"You can't!" He shook his head, and I threw my hands up in exasperation.

"Why not?!"

"What good would it do Merlin if you were burned at the stake for using magic? Hm?" He asked, and I sighed, knowing he was right.

"Then what can I do? I have to do something!" He shook his head sadly.

"All we can do is wait." He said, walking over to Merlin's side, taking his magnifying glass along the way. "And hope for the best."

*5 minutes later*

Gaius and I both looked up as we heard the door open. Gwen walked in.

"Let me guess. She wasn't there." I said, and she shook her head.

"No one has seen her since the Banquet." She said, and I sighed. "Who is she?" She asked, and I looked at Gaius, wanting to know the answer as well.

"Not who she claims to be." Gaius simply replied.

"But you know, don't you?" I interrogated, and he looked at me.

"Cara. Although, that's not her name. Not her real name anyway."

"Then who is she?" Gwen and I both asked, and Gaius took a deep breath.

"A powerful sorceress."

"Well we should tell Uther, maybe he could send riders out after her." Gwen suggested, and Gaius shook his head.

"No she'd be long 's impossible to know where though." Gwen and I both sighed, and looked at Merlin, who was getting weaker with every second. "Oh no." We both looked up at Gaius, who was already looking at us.

"What?" We both asked, and he got up from the bench he was sitting on next to Merlin, quickly followed by me.

"She knows the only place the antidote can be found is the Forest of Balor." My eyes widened.

"Arthur could be walking into a trap." I realized.

"Arthur... Arthur..." Merlin whispered, and we all looked at him in concern.

*20 minutes later*

"Arthur... It's a trap... It's a trap." Merlin whimpered, and I looked at Gwen, who was sitting next to me on the bench next to Gaius's bed where Merlin lied, and then at Gaius, who was sitting on the other side of the bed. Gwen reached out her hand, and touched Merlin's neck carefully.

"His fever's getting worse isn't it?" She asked shakily.

"Poison is setting in." Gaius said, and I closed my eyes for a brief moment, trying the hardest not to break down right there and then.

"Arthur – swa sceal geong – guma gode – gewyrcean." Merlin gasped out in pain, and I immediately started dabbing his forehead with the wet cloth I held in my hand.

"Shhh." I soothed, knowing that Gwen was starting to notice something strange. Gaius must have as well, as he addressed her.

"Would you fetch me some more wolf bane?" He asked, and she nodded immediately.

"Yes of course." Gwen got up, and ran out of the chambers. As soon as she was gone, I stopped dabbing Merlin's forehead, and leaned in.

"Merlin." I said quietly. "You must fight it."

"Arthur." My brother whimpered, and I looked at Gaius. "It's too dark... Too dark." His voice faded into a whisper, and I suddenly realized what he was doing. He was warning me about the danger Arthur was in.

"Gaius, make sure no one enters." I said, and he looked at me strangely.

"What are you talking about?"

" Fromum feohgiftum on." I chanted quietly. " Fæder bearme." I closed my eyes, continuing the spell. "Fromum feohgiftum."

"Annabelle." I heard Gaius breath in amazement, and I opened my eyes, which widened at what I saw. I was holding a ball of pure light in my right hand. It illuminated with the purest and strongest glow I have ever seen.

"Leave them, Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed. "Go! Save yourself. Follow the light." He ordered, although his eyes were still closed, and he was gasping in pain every few seconds. "Faster... Go faster! Follow the light!" He yelled, and Gaius had put a hand on his chest to stop him from getting out of bed. I looked at the ball of light in my hand once again, and realized that I was working beside Merlin to make sure that Arthur made it back alive. Merlin was giving me instructions subconsciously, and I was using my magic according to his directions. It was a subconscious teamwork. "Move! Climb!" My brother ordered once again, and then gave a relieved sigh. As soon as he did, I let the ball in my hands disappear.

"What were you two doing?" Gaius whispered, looking at me in amazement.

"They both need help Gaius." I replied, looking him dead in the eye.


	34. The Feelings See the Light

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*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I walked into Gaius's chambers, only to see him and Gwen sitting next to Merlin, who was covered in sweat and whimpering in pain. They both looked up once they heard me approach. Gaius sighed.

"He hasn't got much longer. Has Arthur got the flower?" He asked sadly, and I shook my head.

"I don't know. Uther won't allow anyone to see him." I replied, and we all frowned. Arthur had returned earlier today, but Uther has put him in the dungeons for disobeying him. I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Merlin whimper in pain once again. We all looked at him in worry. I sighed, I hated seeing my brother like this. "Is there nothing we can do to help him?" I asked, exasperated. Gaius shook his head, knowing what I was thinking about.

"Only the leaf of the Mortaeus flower can save him." He said, and I started pacing.

"Then we have to find out if Arthur has it." I concluded, still pacing. Suddenly I stopped abruptly, getting an idea. "I could sneak into the dungeon." I said, looking at Gaius and Gwen.

"No!" Gwen exclaimed and I looked at her. "Uther will immediately suspect you. You're Merlin's sister. It's obvious you would do anything for him." She then turned to look at Gaius. "I'll go."

"That could be very dangerous, Gwen."He said, and she got a determined look in her eyes.

"I've got to! Merlin will die if I don't." She said, and Merlin whimpered in pain once again. Gaius looked at him for a second, and then sighed, nodding.

"Be careful." He warned, and Gwen nodded, hurrying out of the chambers. Once the door closed, I turned to look at Gaius. "She really loves him." He said, and I nodded.

"She does. And he loves her." I said, sitting down on the bench next to Merlin. "Gaius."

"Yes?"

"Do you think they could ever be together?" I asked, and he looked at me confused. "I mean... They obviously love each other, and there should be nothing in their way, but... Can she know that Merlin and I have magic? If they want to be together, they can't live in a lie." I explained, and Gaius sighed.

"I believe that Gwen is one of the most trustworthy people in the world, and if you can tell anyone your secret, it will be her." I smiled, nodding.

"I'm glad. I want them both to be happy." I said, and Gaius smiled as well, before frowning once we heard my brother whimpering in pain again.

*15 minutes later*

I stopped pacing and looked up along with Gaius once we heard the door open. Gwen rushed in, holding something in her hands.

"How is he?" She asked worriedly.

"Have you got the Mortaeus?" Gaius asked, and she nodded, rushing over to him.

"Here." She said, handing the Mortaeus flower to him. Right after that, she immediately sat down next to Merlin, quickly followed by me, whilst Gaius walked over to the table and started working on the potion. I dabbed my brother's forehead again, and watched with pain in my eyes as his breathing slowed down.

"His fever's much worse. We have to hurry." Gaius said, working on the flower. He walked over to us, mixing the potion, when suddenly he stopped and stared at Merlin with wide eyes.

"Why have you stopped? I asked shakily.

"The poison was created using magic. We may need magic to make an antidote." He explained.

"But we can't." Gwen protested. "It's forbidden. Even if we could..." I looked at her with pain in my eyes. I thought she was ready to make sacrifices for my brother if she loved him. Turns out I was wrong. We can't tell her about magic. We just can't. Thankfully, Gaius must have noticed it as well, because he quickly nodded.

"I'll try to make it work without." He assured. Gwen visible relaxed, and kept looking at Merlin, whilst Gaius and I glanced at her. We might have to use magic. But no tin front of her. "Oh." Gaius said, and grabbed an empty small jar, handing it to Gwen. "I'll need some fresh water." She nodded, and grabbed the jar, running out of the chambers. Once I saw her disappear, I immediately got up from my seat and faced Gaius. "You have to use your magic."

"I can't." I shook my head. "I don't know the spell. Gaius, you have to do it!" He sighed, but still nodded. He then grabbed the bowl that he mixed the potion in and held it in both hands, closing his eyes.

"Seópan." "He whispered, and then opened his eyes, setting the bowl down on the table. He sighed, and leaned on the table, shaking his head.

"Gaius, please." I whispered, making him look up at me. I already had tears in my eyes, and looked behind me at the deathly pale Merlin. Gaius followed my gaze, and sighed one more time, before grabbing the bowl again. He then closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Seópan ærest wearð feasceaft funden. Denum æfter dom. Dreamleas gebad he gewann langsum." He chanted, and opened his eyes once he heard me gasp. The potion was now a dark green and was boiling and bubbling. His eyes widened, and he set the owl down with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Thank you." I whispered with a smile, and he looked at me, smiling a small smile as well. We then both looked down at the potion again, seeing the bubbles and vapor disappear. We both looked up as we heard someone running inside. It was Gwen, carrying the jar filled with water. She ran over to us and gave it to Gaius.

"Thank you." He murmured, and she gave him a small nod, running back over to Merlin's side. I followed her, sitting on my brother's other side. Gaius then quickly poured the potion to the jar that Gwen brought, and came over to us. "Hold his nose." He ordered, and I quickly did just that. He then leaned over and poured the antidote into Merlin's mouth. "Swallow, Merlin. Swallow it." He whispered, and leaned back as my brother gulped down the potion. We all then looked at him worriedly, when suddenly his chest stopped moving.

"He stopped breathing." I said shakily, and Gwen's eyes widened. "What's happening?!" I exclaimed, looking over at my guardian. "Gaius?" I asked, my voice filled with pain and worry. He looked at me for a second, and then leaned down and pressed his ear against Merlin's chest. He suddenly leaned back sharply and looked at Gwen and I.

"His heart has stopped." he said quietly, and I gasped, tears building up in my eyes. I looked at Gwen, and she looked at me before looking back at my brother's still form.

"He's dead?" she whispered, with tears in her eyes.

"He can't be." Gaius whispered, shaking his head. He also had tears in his eyes, as he stood up.

"It's my fault." Gwen whispered, her voice filled with guilt and pain. "If I've got her sooner... If I'd be quicker..." She trailed off, and started sobbing, causing Gaius to pull her up and into his arms comfortingly. I looked down at my brother's dead body, and lost control over my emotions. I started sobbing my heart out, and buried my face in my hands. I heard Gaius comforting Gwen, who was crying as well, but I was too heartbroken to hear the exact words. I couldn't bare to loose my older brother. The one that has always been there for me.

"This is disgusting." I heard an all too familiar voice and looked up sharply. What I saw made the biggest smile form on my tear stained face. Merlin's eyes were open, and he was looking at Gwen and Gaius in disgust and disbelief, propping himself onto his elbows. "You should be ashamed of yourself, you're old enough to be her grandfather."

"Merlin." Gaius said quietly, a smile breaking out on his face. Gwen then laughed in pure amazement, and happiness. "Your alive!" Gaius exclaimed.

"No I'm a ghost come back to haunt you." My brother replied jokingly, and I gave a laugh of pure joy before leaping onto him, bringing him in a tightest hug ever. The tears were now running down my face freely, and I was sobbing into Merlin's shoulder.

"You had me so worried." I whispered, causing him to pull me against him tightly and hold me against his chest. He kissed my head, and I felt him smile into my hair. I pulled back after a few moments, only to be pushed out of the way by Gwen, who grabbed Merlin's face in her hands, and kissed him with passion. I looked at Gaius in amusement, and he smirked back at me. I chuckled quietly, bringing my friend and brother back to Earth, causing Gwen to pull back and cover her mouth with her hands.

"I'm sorry. I just... I thought you were dead." She apologized, causing Merlin to look at her in disbelief, me to cover my mouth with my hands so that I wouldn't laugh out loud, and Gaius to put a hand on her back, biting his lip to stop himself from laughing.

"It's fine." Merlin replied, and then a smile grew on his face. "It's more than fine." He said, as Gwen stood back up to stand next to Gaius. Merlin was still staring at her dreamily, until I cleared my throat quietly, causing him to blink and shake his head, trying to snap out of his heaven on Earth. Gwen looked at him with an embarrassed smile. "What happened?" Merlin asked, bringing his gaze back to me, making Gaius and Gwen share a look. "Last thing I remember is drinking the wine."

*2 hours later*

I came out of mine and Merlin's room, carrying a blanket. I looked up once I heard Gaius and Merlin's voices, and smiled when I saw them both sitting at the tale, talking and laughing. They both looked up as they heard me approaching them, and smiled at me as well. I noticed Merlin shivering slightly, so I draped the blanket I had in my hands over him, and kissed his head, making him give me a smile. Gaius then stood up and walked over to one of the shelves, checking on one of the potions, when we both saw Arthur in the doorway. Merlin didn't see him, as his back was facing Arthur only. The Prince saw me and gave me a smile in acknowledgment, and I smiled back at him, giving a small curtsy.

"Still alive then." He said, walking further inside and bringing his gaze over to my brother, who turned around when he heard his voice.

"Um, yeah. Just about." He replied with a smile, making Arthur smile as well. "I-I understand I have you to thank for that." He said, as Arthur leaned on his chair. I walked over to them, wanting to see this.

"Yeah well, it was nothing." Arthur said, obviously lying. "A half decent servant is hard to come by." He joked, looking back at my brother with a small smile, making him smile as well. I smiled also. "I'm just dropping by to make sure you're alright. So you could be back to work tomorrow." He finished, walking away.

"Oh yeah, yeah, of course. Bright and early." Merlin called after him, and turned around about to continue his dinner, but faced Arthur again. Arthur stopped and turned around to fave him again. "Thank you."

"You too." The Prince replied. I smiled. "Get some rest." He ordered softly, turning around and walking out of the chambers. I shared a smile with Gaius, and then we both walked over to Merlin.

"Arthur may give you a hard time, but at heart he's the man of honor."Gaius said, placing a plate with porridge in front of Merlin. I nodded, as we both sat down. I sat down next to Merlin, and Gaius sat on the other side of the table. I nodded, agreeing with him.

"Not many would have risked what he had for a servant." I agreed, making Merlin look at me.

"Well I wouldn't be here if you hadn't made the antidote." Merlin said, turning his gaze to Gaius, making him sigh.

"Eat your dinner." He ordered. Merlin grabbed his spoon, and was about to start eating, when something stopped him.

"You know, I still don't understand. Why she went though all that trouble of framing Bayard. She could have just kept quiet." Merlin said, referring to the sorceress that disguised herself as Cara.

"Kill Arthur." I concluded, agreeing with my brother.

"Destroying Arthur and Camelot wasn't all she was after." Gaius said, looking at us, me in particular, making us give him confused looks. "She knew you would be forced to drink that wine. It was you who she wanted to kill, Merlin."

"Why?!" Both Merlin and I exclaimed.

"She knew what pain it would cause you, Annabelle. She knows that you care for your brother very much and that you love him more than anything or anyone. She wanted you to suffer." Gaius explained, looking at me, making my eyes widen. "If Merlin died, your heart and spirit would be broken, and you would be an easy target. Seems someone else knows you're destined for great things, Anna."

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

Nimueh stood above the magical well in her cave, and watched Annabelle's expression turn from shocked to determined. She took a deep breath. Defeating the powerful sorceress will be harder than she thought.

*1 hour later, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Come in!" Arthur's voice called from behind the door, and I opened the door, stepping into his chambers and closing the door behind me. "Annabelle." He said surprised, looking up from the papers he'd been working on. I smiled and walked over to him.

"I wanted to thank you, Arthur." I said, and he looked at me confused.

"What for?" I smiled.

"You saved my brother's life. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you." I said sincerely, and he smiled at me, getting up from his sitting position and walking over to me. He then grabbed my hands in his, and looked down at me with a small smile.

"It was nothing. Believe me. I would have done that for anyone. Besides, not only did I not want Merlin to die, but I also couldn't bare to see you in pain." I smiled at him, and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you."


	35. Lancelot

**Thank you all for your reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far, and I hope you like this chapter!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Gwen and I both looked up as we heard the doors to Morgana's chambers open. I shared a confused look with my friend.

"Morgana left 10 minutes ago. She shouldn't be back by now." I said, confused, and she nodded in agreement. We then both walked out from behind the screen where we were folding Morgana's gowns, and (to our surprise) saw Merlin waiting for us. As soon as him and Gwen made eye contact, she looked down. "Merlin, what are you doing here?" I asked, and he sighed.

"Can I trust you both to keep a secret?" He asked, closing the doors, and Gwen and I shared a look.

"Of course." She nodded, and I nodded as well. Merlin should know better than anyone that I can keep a secret. I have since the day I was born.

"Alright. Yesterday, when I was picking mushrooms for Gaius in the forest, I was attacked by a beast. I thought it was going to kill me, but suddenly a man appeared with a sword and saved me. He didn't kill the beast, but we both ran away. But he was hurt, so I brought him to Gaius. He said that he will be fine. He woke up today in the morning, and told me that his biggest dream is to become a Knight of Camelot, but the problem is that only nobles can serve as knights, so I decided to help him, seeing as he saved my life." Merlin explained, taking out and showing us a scroll. I shared another look with Gwen, and took it, unrolling it. It said:

LANCELOT

fifth son of

Lord Eldred of Northumbria

"Merlin, what are you playing at?" I hissed. "If anyone finds out about this you and Lancelot could be banished."

"I know. Lancelot didn't want to do this, I persuaded him." My brother said, and I looked at him in disbelief.

"Why?!" Both Gwen and I exclaimed.

"He saved my life. And I'm repaying him the only way I know how. By giving him the chance he deserves." I sighed. He was right.

"Alright. How can I help?" I asked, and he smiled at me.

"And I." Gwen added, and he smiled at her as well, making her blush.

"Well, we need a tunic made for him, and armor." Gwen and I looked at each other.

"I can get the armor easily, but I will need Lancelot's measurements first." She said, and Merlin nodded. I looked at the seal on the scroll one more time.

"I can make the tunic, but I will need Lancelot's measurements as well." I said, and my brother nodded.

"Why don't you come with me right now? He's in Gaius's chambers." He asked, and Gwen nodded.

"You two go, I'll go get the measuring tape and come as well." I said, and they nodded.

*25 minutes late, Third Person's P.O.V.*

"Where is she?" Merlin asked, pacing around his room, whilst Guinevere and Lancelot watched him in amusement.

"Calm down, Merlin. She will be here soon. If you want us to help Lancelot, we need the measuring tape, and that's what she went to get." Gwen explained, and Merlin sighed, sitting down on a stool.

"I still don't feel comfortable with all of this. I don't want any of you to get into trouble." Lancelot said, looking at the two with a worried look.

"Don't worry, Lancelot." Gwen assured. "I'm the Lady Morgana's maid. Even if there will be any suspicions, I can get out of it easily."

"I'm Prince Arthur's servant, so I could probably get out of this as well. As for my sister, she is also Lady Morgana's maid, and a friend. She will be safe. It's you we have to make sure that won't get in trouble." Merlin said, and Lancelot nodded, still not sure about all of this. He didn't want his new friends to get into trouble on his behalf, and he didn't want to lie either. But becoming a Knight of Camelot was his biggest dream ever since he was a boy, and if those people were giving him a chance, he couldn't throw it away.

He was snapped out of his thought by the door to Merlin's room opening. They all looked up, and Lancelot's eyes widened. There stood the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. She had long, brown hair, and light blue eyes. Her skin was fair and pale, and her lips were pink and plump. She was skinny, but had curves in all the right places. She was beautiful, and took his breath away.

"Finally!" Merlin exclaimed, and Annabelle rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't gone for that long." She said, holding the measuring tape in her hands.

"How long does it take to get a measuring tape?" Merlin joked, and she sighed.

"I ran into Arthur and Morgana on my way back, and we talked for a while." She explained, and immediately regretted it when Gwen smirked at her. "Anyways, let's get started." Merlin nodded, not noticing what the two girls meant, and patted Lancelot on the back.

"This is Lancelot." Annabelle's eyes drifted to the young man, and her breath caught in her throat slightly. He was very handsome with his dark brown hair slightly longer than Merlin's and Arthur's, and those dark brown eyes. They had so much care and gentleness in them. She immediately knew that he was noble. Not by blood, but definitely by heart. She smiled at him warmly, and he smiled a small smile back, suddenly becoming nervous.

"Could you stand in the middle for us, Lancelot?" Guinevere asked kindly. "Annabelle will take your measurements, and I'll record them." Lancelot nodded, walking over to the middle of the room, whilst Annabelle unrolled the measuring tape and walked over to him. Guinevere walked over to them as well, and Annabelle knelt down on the floor, measuring the length of Lancelot's leg. She held her finger on the measurement for a second so that Gwen could write it down on the parchment of paper, and then wrapped the tape around Lancelot's thigh, making him clear his throat nervously.

"This is very kind of you, uh..."

"Anna." Annabelle said, standing up.

"Anna." Lancelot repeated, feeling his heart flutter.

"Short for Annabelle." Anna said, and Lancelot nodded, whilst she measured the length of his arm.

"Then thank you, Annabelle. And you, Guinevere." Lancelot thanked, quickly making amends after he almost thanked Merlin's sister only. The girls both sent him a kind smile, whilst Annabelle measured the length of his back.

"Well, don't thank us. Thank Merlin." Gwen said, making Merlin look up, surprised. "Merlin would do anything to anyone, wouldn't you Merlin?" She asked, making Merlin blush and wave his hand dismissively, making Gwen blush as well, and look down. Lancelot watched those two for a second, and then looked over his shoulder, amused, at Annabelle, who was biting her lip to stop herself from laughing. He chuckled quietly, and then faced forward again.

"Can you raise your arms, please?" Anna asked kindly, and he quickly did so. She then brought her arms around his waist, and peered over his shoulder as she fumbled with the tape for a moment. "Sorry." She apologized quietly, before wrapping the tape around his chest, making him give her a nervous smile. "Well, I think it's great that Merlin's got you this chance." She said, as she walked over to his side, making him lower his arms. "We need men like you." She said quietly, wrapping the tape around his neck, making him look over at her with surprise and something else she couldn't quite read.

"You do?" He asked quietly, and she froze, realizing what that must have sounded like.

"Well not me, personally. But you know..." She tried to make amends, making Guinevere and Merlin glance at the two with raised eyebrows, and smirk. "Camelot. Camelot needs knights. And not just Arthur and his kind, but ordinary people like you." Annabelle quickly explained. She almost said, 'like you and me', but quickly stopped herself. She was not ordinary. And she never will be.

"Well, I'm not a knight yet, My Lady." he grinned softly, and she smiled back.

"And I'm not a Lady." She said with a laugh.

"But you were." Gwen intervened, making Anna give her a small glare, at which she smiled innocently. Lancelot looked a little confused, so she sighed.

"We had a tournament couple of weeks ago and Uther made me a Lady so that the winner could escort me to the feast as the price of winning. I really don't see anything special about that."

"I do." Lancelot said quietly, and she looked up at him, giving him a small smile. Their eyes locked for a second, and they looked at each other. Lancelot felt as if though nothing else in the world mattered in the moment. Not even becoming a knight. It was just her. Annabelle quickly snapped out of her daze though.

"Alright, we're done. We should have this ready in no time. It's nice to meet you Lancelot." She stuck out her hand for him to shake, but he grabbed it and kissed it instead, making her hand tingle at the touch of his lips. They looked at each other once again, until Merlin cleared his throat, not liking this at all. Anna was his little sister and he wasn't going to let any man have her. Gwen must have noticed the look, as she stepped forward.

"Anna, why don't you hold on to these measurements and start making the tunic already, whilst I go and finish the cleaning in Morgana's chambers?" She proposed, and Annabelle nodded, still in a slight gaze, but not one big enough to cause her not to hear anything. Merlin then walked over to Lancelot, who was still staring at the beautiful woman in front of him, and patted him on the back, letting him know it's time to go. They were going to watch Arthur train the knights once more. Lancelot looked back at Merlin's sister one more time, before walking out of the room behind Merlin, followed closely by Guinevere. Once they disappeared behind the door, Anna sighed and closed her eyes, a small smile coming onto her lips.

*Guinevere's P.O.V.*

Lancelot walked in between Merlin and I, as we walked down the corridor.

"She seems lovely." He commented, and I smirked, knowing perfectly well who he was talking about. "Annabelle."

"Oh yes, she is." I agreed, seeing the protective look on Merlin's face. "And she is also the best seamstress in Camelot."

"And Gwen is the blacksmith's daughter, so she will get you the perfect armor." Merlin said, making me blush slightly. I really had feelings for him, but it had gotten quite uncomfortable between us ever since the kiss. What if he didn't feel the same? I was snapped out of my thoughts by Lancelot voice.

"Is Annabelle... You know."

"Taken?" I guessed smiling, and he nodded, blushing lightly.

"No." Merlin answered, and I smirked slightly.

"But Prince Arthur has taken a liking in her." I added, making Merlin's eyes widen.

"WHAT?!"

"But it seems as though she is not interested." I comforted, making them _both_ give sighs of relief.


	36. You Look the Part

**Thank you everyone for your reviews! I love reading your thoughts on this story, and I hope you like this chapter!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"One!" Arthur called out to his Knights, who were training. "Two!... Three!..." I smiled at Lancelot, as I fixed his tunic, and he gave me a small, nervous smile back.

"Well..." Merlin said, fixing Lancelot's armor with Gwen by his side. "You certainly look the part."

"Doesn't he just?" I asked grinning.

"I don't feel it." Lancelot said uncomfortably, and I smiled, walking over to him.

"You look great, I assure you." I said, fixing his hair, making him give me a small smile. "Very dashing." I added, grinning, making him chuckle. Gwen nodded, walking over to my side.

"Any women would faint if they saw you right now." He smiled, and I looked at Arthur as he trained his Knights. But I thought I saw Lancelot glance at me as Gwen said that.

*Arthur's P.O.V.*

"Okay, that'll do for today." I said loudly, and the Knights bowed to me before leaving. "Well done." I turned around, walking over to the table with extra swords and placed the one I had in my hand in one of the sheaths. I then spotted Annabelle with my lazy excuse of a servant, Morgana's maid, and another man I have never seen before. I saw him glance at Annabelle with a small smile, and jealousy immediately built up inside of me. I recognized the look. It's the same look I give her. A look of love. But his was more noticeable, as I always tried to hide my feelings for Anna, but now that I saw another man fall in love with her, I had to admit. I am in love with Annabelle.

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"This is your chance." Merlin said, fixing Lancelot's armor one more time, before clapping him on the back. "Go for it." Lancelot took a deep breath trying to calm himself down, causing me to put a comforting hand on his arm, before walking towards Arthur, with the scroll in his hands.

"Yes?" Arthur asked, noticing Lancelot, who was standing right in front of him.

"Lancelot." Lancelot introduced himself. "Fifth son of Lord Eldred of Nortumbria."

"Lanc... elot." Arthur repeated slowly, making Lancelot give a small nod. "My servant mentioned you. You got your seal?" Lancelot bowed, stretching out his hand that held the seal in front of him.

"Sire." Arthur grabbed the seal, and the same time slapped Lancelot hard across the face, making him groan and fall on the ground. I quickly covered my mouth, muffling the gasp.

"Sluggish reactions." Arthur concluded nonchalantly, making me narrow my eyes at him. "On the battlefield you'd be dead by now. Come back when you're ready." He said, turning around and walking away. Lancelot quickly got up though, and stood straight with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I'm ready now, Sire."Arthur stopped and turned around to face him, with a smirk on his face.

"You are, are you?" Lancelot nodded, and Arthur nodded, his smirk growing. "Fine. You can start by cleaning out the stables." The Knights, that have returned to see what was going on, laughed as he walked away. Lancelot turned around to look at Merlin, Gwen and me in disbelief, causing Merlin to give him a thumbs up, and Gwen to nod, smiling and raising her eyebrows. I sent him a reassuring smile as well, but inside I was fuming with rage.

*Late in the evening*

"I'm sorry about Lancelot." Gaius said walking over to stand next to Merlin, who was cutting vegetables, and to me. I was just sitting on the stool by my brother. "I see you're upset."

"Oh... You know... That's life..." Merlin nodded, making me cover my eyes with my hand. He was a terrible liar! "Win some, you loose some."

"You're taking it very well." Gaius observed, looking at him in slight suspicion. I sighed quietly. This is never going to work! He will find out sooner or later. "I have to say. Very mature." Merlin looked up at him, seeming proud of himself. I sighed again. He has nothing to be proud of! Yes, he is helping a friend, but he is also lying to the man that has showed us nothing but kindness ever since we arrived in Camelot. I, for one, didn't like lying to Gaius.

"Thank you, Gaius." He thanked, making me groan quietly. I opened my mouth to say something, when the door opened and someone walked in. We all looked up, and my jaw dropped. Lancelot looked awful! His hair was ruffled, and his shirt was dirty from mud, along with every other part of his body. His revealed chest glistened in sweat, and he looked as if he was ready to fall over from exhaustion. "How did it go?" Merlin asked happily, and I stood up, elbowing him in the ribs.

"Are you alright?" I asked, and Lancelot sent me a small, strained smile, before going to his and Merlin's room. I was staying with Gwen for now. Once he disappeared behind the door, I looked at Merlin with a stern look on my face, and then shook my head, leaving the quarters.

*5 minutes later*

"Annabelle!" Arthur exclaimed, clearly surprised to see me. I sent him a small smile.

"May I come in?" I asked, and he nodded, snapping out of his shock, and smiling instead. I smiled back, and he opened the doors wider for me to come in. Once I entered, he closed the doors behind us and walked over to his bed, sitting down. He patted the spot next to him, and I smiled, sitting down next to him.

"What is it that you wanted?" He asked kindly, and I took a deep breath.

"You remember Lancelot, right?" I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as I felt and saw him tense at the question.

"Yes, what about him?"

"I just wanted to ask you if there is any way that you could give him a chance? He's a great man, and a friend. He saved my brother's life. Could you please give him a chance?" I pleaded, and he sighed. "Look, when he came back to Gaius's quarters today, he looked as if he was ready to pass out. If you really want to keep him in the stables, can you at least make his work a little easier?"

"Alright." He sighed in defeat. "I'll give him a chance to face me tomorrow." I smiled happily, and we both got up from his bed. I was about to leave, but then quickly turned around and hugged him, my arms around his neck. Arthur seemed shocked at first, but quickly recovered, and hugged me back tightly, his arms snaking around my waist. We stayed like this for a moment, and then I pulled away, smiling at him as I noticed a small blush on his cheeks.

"Thank you."

*The Next Day*

I dabbed the woman's wound lightly with a wet cloth, as Merlin helped another woman sit down.

"You're both safe now. I promise." I said gently, just as Arthur rushed into the courtyard. I took a quick breath. "Gwen will you please hold this cloth to the wound for a second?" I asked as my friend came over and grabbed the cloth from me, nodding. "I'll be right back." As soon as I said that, I quickly ran over to Arthur. He saw me, and I could see a relieved expression on his face.

"Are you alright?" He asked concerned, and I nodded. "What happened?" He asked, referring to the wounded people in the courtyard.

"Their village was attacked." I explained, and looked him in the eyes. "By a winged creature. They say it had wings and head of an eagle, and a body of a lion." He looked at me with wide eyes. "I don't think this is just an ordinary animal like your father says." I said, and Arthur nodded. I smiled at him. "I have to go back to the wounded." I was about to walk away, when he stopped me by grabbing my hand.

"Thank you, Annabelle." He said with gratitude, and I looked at him in confusion.

"What for?"

"For taking care of these people. You have a really good heart. Thank you." I smiled at him one more time, before running over to the wounded, Merlin, Gwen, Gaius, and Lancelot who must have just arrived.

"Their village was attacked." Gaius explained to Lancelot, as I grabbed another wet cloth and held it to a boy's head wound. "By a winged monster." I saw Lancelot and my brother share a look, making me look at them suspiciously.

*Late in the Evening*

"Alright, I'm leaving. I'll see you tomorrow." I said as I grabbed my shawl.

"Here, let me help you." Lancelot offered, and I sent him a smile as he wrapped the shawl around my shoulders.

"Thank you." I thanked him, and he smiled at me kindly.

"No problem." I smiled and gave him a hug.

"I heard that Arthur gave you a chance. Congratulations. Gwen and I will come to support you tomorrow." I whispered in his ear, and I felt him smile against the skin of my neck, sending slight chills down my spine. I pulled away, and then walked over to Gaius after smiling at Lancelot one more time, and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight, Gaius." I said, and he smiled at me.

"Goodnight, my dear,"

"I'll walk you out." Lancelot offered, and I nodded at him thankfully. I then walked over to Merlin and gave him a hug, and he kissed my forehead.

"Goodnight, Anna." Merlin said, and I smiled at him.

"Goodnight." I smiled at them one more time, and then walked out of the chambers as Lancelot opened the door for me.

We walked through the courtyard in a peaceful, comfortable silence, until my voice broke it.

"What happened to you and Merlin that day in the forest?" He looked at me in confusion, and I sent him a look. "Don't you dare lie to me. I saw the look you two shared today when Gaius mentioned 'the winged monster'. What really happened?" Lancelot took a deep breath, and nodded.

"You're right. I guess I can't lie to you." He sent me a small smile, and I shook my head, chuckling. "I saved your brother from that creature. The exact same one." My eyes widened.

We walked all the way to Gwen's house, talking and laughing quietly. Lancelot is a really great company, and I have to say I was a little disappointed when we finally reached our destination. I sighed, and turned around to look at my new friend.

"Thank you for walking me over here." I thanked, and he smiled at me.

"It was no problem, My Lady." He grabbed my hand and bent down, placing a kiss on it. I smiled, and thanked God that it was dark because he couldn't see the blush that formed on my cheeks. I stood on my tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight." I said quietly, and walked inside Gwen's house. I closed the door, and placed my forehead against them, smiling to myself. I then turned around, and screamed as Gwen's face suddenly appeared inches from mine. "Gwen, don't scare me like that." I said in a breathless tone, taking off my shawl. I looked at her, only to see her smirking.

"What was that?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows, and I sighed.

"It was nothing." I answered, walking over to my side of her bedroom. "Shut it!" I called as I heard her giggling, making her laugh even harder. I rolled my eyes. There is nothing between me and Lancelot except for friendship.

*The Next Day*

"Well... Here we are... Your final challenge...Succeed... And you join the elite... Fail, and your journey ends here." Arthur said in a stern tone, as he walked across the training field towards Lancelot. I sighed as I fumbled with my cloak nervously. Lancelot and Arthur in front of each other, but a good distance away. "Lancelot... Fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria." Arthur looked over at the man who was standing by the table making him turn the hourglass upside down, letting the sand start falling. "Your time starts now!" Arthur declared, putting on his helmet, causing Lancelot to do the same. They both unsheathed their swords, and Arthur swung it around, walking closer to Lancelot. Lancelot walked closer as well. They both got into their ready positions, and I shared a look with Gwen, who stood on my right, and with Merlin, who stood on my other side. After a second or two, their swords clashed so fast that I couldn't even see who attacked first. Gwen and Merlin grinned as Lancelot slashed at Arthur's helmet with his sword, as did I, but I couldn't help but glance at Arthur worriedly.

Lancelot kept on attacking, and Arthur suddenly ducked, causing him to swing his whole body in a circle because of the powerful swing he made with his sword. I gasped as I saw that, and covered my mouth with my hand, as I heard Gwen gasp next to me, and saw her arm travel behind me and grab onto Merlin's jacket.

"Sorry." She apologized quietly as she realized what she has done. I smirked, and then quickly turned my attention back to the two competing men. Lancelot kept attacking, and their swords clashed against each other multiple times, until Arthur hit Lancelot in the face with his fist, causing him to let out a groan and fall down hard. I gasped once again as I saw his helmet fall off. I sighed. He didn't make it. But I was also worried. Lancelot's eyes were closed, and he wasn't moving. I shared a worried glance with Merlin as Arthur stuck his sword into the ground and took off his helmet. He then walked over to the unconscious Lancelot and stood above him.

"Shame." He said, and bent down to retrieve the blue sash that was tucked through Lancelot's belt that symbolized that Lancelot was trying out for a knight. But suddenly Lancelot shot up and tripped Arthur, making him fall down on the ground, and got up quickly, retrieving his sword and pointing it at Arthur, who still lied on the ground.

"Do you submit, Sire?" I grinned at him, relieved that he was alright. Suddenly three guards walked up to Lancelot, and grabbed him by his arms, pulling him away from Arthur. The royal then got up and pulled the sword out of the ground, approaching Lancelot angrily.

"On your knees!" Arthur growled, and the guards forced Lancelot on his knees. I looked at them worriedly when Arthur pointed the sword he was holding at Lancelot's chest.


	37. Sir Lancelot

**Thank you all for the reviews! I love reading them! I hope you like this chapter!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Arise, Sir Lancelot." Uther announced, touching both of Lancelot's shoulders with his sword. "Knight of Camelot." I smiled happily and clapped along with everyone else. Lancelot looked at me, and I send him a big smile, still clapping. He smiled at me as well.  
"Who is this man?" Morgana asked quietly. She was standing next to me, but still a little in front. Gwen was standing next to me. "He seems to have come out of nowhere."  
"I know." I replied, still looking at the newly knighted man. "He's been a bit of surprise. To all of us."

*2 hours later*

"Are you ready?" Gwen asked, pushing away the curtains that separated my sleeping area and her seeping area. Once she saw me, she froze.  
"What? Is something wrong?" I asked worriedly, and she quickly shook her head. I sighed in relief. This was the best dress I had. I wanted to look nice for these celebrations. They were for Lancelot, and he truly deserved it.  
"You look beautiful!" She exclaimed, and pulled me into a hug, making me laugh and hug her back. "Lancelot and Arthur will fall over once they see you." She said once we pulled away, and I rolled my eyes.  
"I don't feel anything for either of them." I said, but felt a small pang in my chest. I decided to ignore it, and looked at Guinevere once again. "Come on. We're going to be late." I then grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the house, and towards the castle.

*1 hour later, Third Person's P.O.V.*

Everyone at the celebrations parted to different sides of the room to make a pathway for the two beautiful women who entered. One was obviously a Lady, but the other one... No one who didn't know her could tell whether she was a Lady or not. She wore a beautiful dress, made of velvet, which, besides someone who was very skilled in sewing, no one could tell was made by woman herself was more beautiful than Lady Morgana, and attracted attention of many men. But particularly the two most important ones at these celebrations.  
Prince Arthur and Sir Lancelot sat on a table in the middle of the room, and were both staring at this woman, otherwise known as just Annabelle. Arthur's gaze then drifted to Morgana as they parted they separate ways. Morgana went over to get a drink, whilst Annabelle walked over to her brother and Guinevere.  
"Tell me," Arthur spoke to Lancelot, who sat next to him. "Do you think her... Beautiful?" He asked, looking at Morgana, but Lancelot's gaze has drifted to the young sorceress standing next to her brother and friend.  
"Yes, Sire... I do." He replied, looking at the girl who has helped him so much. Arthur's gaze then also drifted to her, and her's drifted to his.  
"Yes... She is." He said, almost in a daze.

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Alright, look I have to go. Gaius asked me to help him with something." Merlin said, and gave Gwen a hug goodbye, making me smile at them. They were so cute together! He then walked over to me and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "Enjoy yourselves, girls." He then walked out of the room, and I wiggled my eyebrows at Gwen, making her blush.  
"What?" She asked quietly, making me laugh.  
"What are we laughing about?" Morgana asked, coming over, making me smirk.  
"Oh, nothing." Gwen looked at me, relieved, and I smirked, bringing my gaze over to Morgana. "I was just a witness of the most adorable moment ever. My brother giving our dear friend here a hug goodbye. And she was blushing her head off." I teased, making Morgana chuckle.  
"You know what?" Gwen asked, trying to change the subject. "I think Lancelot might have taken a liking in you, Anna." I looked at her, and chuckled.  
"Don't be silly, Gwen." I replied, dismissing the subject quickly. But Morgana decided to butt in.  
"What if he did?" She asked with a small smirk, making me roll my eyes playfully. "Would it really be so bad?"  
"He's not really my type." I retorted, making her roll her eyes at me this time.  
"Oh, there's a surprise." She replied sarcastically.  
"Sometimes, Annabelle, I wonder if you'd know what your type was if it was standing right next to you." Gwen said, and I sighed. Maybe they're right. I never really knew what my type of men was, because I never even thought about it!  
"Oh, come on Anna!" Morgana exclaimed, making me snap out of my thoughts. "Do us this little favor." I looked at her suspiciously, but nodded anyway. "If you had to... Arthur or Lancelot?" I gave a small laugh.  
"But I don't have to. And I never will." I sang, making them both sigh and shake their heads.  
"You are no fun, Anna." They both mumbled, making me laugh. Suddenly Arthur hit the table he and Lancelot were sitting on couple of times, calling for attention, and stood up on the bench he had his feet on.  
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" He called, making everyone quiet down. "Please join me... In a toast! To our new recruit!" He announced, getting Lancelot to stand up, who did so with a small smile. "Our new Knight of Camelot! Sir Lancelot!" He called, raising his tank of mead in the air, making everyone clap and cheer. He then clanked his tank with Lancelot's in a toast, whilst everyone continued to clap and cheer. I saw Lancelot look at me with a smile, and I cheered a little louder, making his smile grow. I smiled as well, but rolled my eyes once I saw Morgana and Gwen smirk at me once more.


	38. Romance on Both Sides

Third Person's P.O.V.*

The celebrations continued, and everyone was enjoying themselves in every way possible. Lancelot looked around in amazement and disbelief. He never thought that this day would come to pass. He never thought that his dreams might actually come true. He always had hope, but never at this scale. Especially after he learned that only nobles can serve as Knights of Camelot. His eyes wandered around the room, and stopped on a brown-haired, blue-eyed beauty laughing with her two friends. He owed all of this to her. Her and her brother. He could never thank them enough. He could never repay them. But he could do something else. He could do something that his heart urged him to do ever since he met her.

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I laughed along with Gwen and Morgana at the joke they made, when suddenly I heard an all too familiar voice behind me.

"Excuse me, My Lady. But could I ask for a dance?" I turned around, only to see Lancelot in a small bow with his hand held out for me to take. I looked back at Morgana and Gwen for a second, only to see them smirk at me, and then turned back around to face the dashing Knight inn front of me.

"Of course." I replied with a smile, making him smile as well. I put my hand in his, and he kissed it, before making his way over to the middle of the room. He bowed to me, making me curtsy in return, and then placed one of his hands on my waist, whilst he held my right hand with his other one. I placed my left hand on his shoulder, and then we began to dance just as the music started playing.

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

Everyone circled around the dancing couple, and watched them, entranced. Those two moved with such grace. They were like two bright stars on a night sky. Lady Morgana and Guinevere stood next to each other, and looked at one another with smiles. They have seen the loving gazes Lancelot has sent their friend ever since the beginning. Especially Guinevere. She has been there when they first met, and she immediately noticed how Lancelot looked at Annabelle. As if he were in a trance. And she returned the look... But not as bright as when she looked at the King's son.

Morgana's gaze drifted from her friend to Arthur and King Uther, and her eyes widened. Arthur looked as if he was ready to slaughter Lancelot where he stood. She has never seen him as angry as he was now. But there was something else in his eyes. Something that was never there before. Jealousy... And love.

Arthur sat at the High Table on his father's right, and was clenching his fist.

"Arthur! What on Earth is wrong with you?!" King Uther exclaimed, wiping his clothing with a napkin, whilst some of the servants rushed to clean the mess up. Arthur looked over, and noticed that he was so furious that he subconsciously banged his fist on the table, making their goblets fall over and spill the drinks over his father.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, and looked back to his new knight and the girl he was in love with, only to see them closer than ever.

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"I have to offer my congratulations." I told the dashing Knight dancing with me. "You did it! You are now officially a Knight of Camelot."

"I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for you and your brother." Lancelot smiled at me warmly as he twirled me around gently. "I don't know how to thank you."

"There's no need to thank us." I shook my head with a smile. "You deserve to be a Knight more than anyone else in the entire kingdom."

"How so?" He asked me with a small furrow of his eyebrows.

"You're not only brave." I started as Lancelot spun me out and then brought me back in, now holding both of my hands with my back pressed against his chest. "You are kind, honorable, generous, fair, and an amazing fighter; the list goes on!" I listed as he spun me out one more time before pulling me back in, letting me twirl twice before my arms ended up around his neck, and his arms around my waist. "Not to mention you are unbelievably charming." I smiled teasingly as he chuckled.

"I forgot to tell you one thing." Lancelot said, making me look at him curiously. He then surprised me by dipping me down, his strong arms holding me above the ground, and his brown eyes looking into my blue ones. "You look astounding tonight." He whispered, and I smiled at him gently as my heart fluttered a little.


	39. Discovery

**Thank you all for the reviews! I hope you like this chapter!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Anna!" Gwen exclaimed as she rushed into the house, making me whip around.

"What is it?" I asked, immediately sensing that it's something important.

"Lancelot's been arrested!" My eyes widened, and I quickly put away the dishes I have been washing, and run out of the house.

*10 minutes later*

I rushed into Gaius's quarters, making him and my brother whip around at the sound of the door opening.

"Is it true?" I asked, and they both nodded grimly.

"They took Lancelot today in the morning." Merlin said, and I sighed, sitting down on the chair by the table.

"Merlin." Gaius said, looking up from the book he was reading.

"Whatever you do, don't say 'I told you so'." My brother said in a defeated tone, sitting down on a chair beside me.

"I'm not intending to. What's done is done." Our guardian replied, looking back at the book he was studying. "Here. Come and take a look at this." He gestured for us to come and stand next to him, I shared a confused look with Merlin, and then we both got up, walking over to stand next to Gaius. "I realized my mistake. I've been looking for the creature in the wrong place. The records of all known living things in the kingdom. And then I thought: what about creatures only recorded in legend, and myth. And I discovered this." He said, taking his hands off of the book, revealing a picture of a creature with the head and wings of an eagle, and body of a lion.

"That is it." Merlin breathed, tapping the picture with his finger. "That is the monster!" I elbowed him in the side as Gaius looked at him with a questioning and suspicious look.

Suddenly the three of us looked up as we heard the bells outside. I quickly jogged over to the window, with Gaius and Merlin following. What I saw made my eyes widen. The creature we just saw a picture of in the book was now attacking the people in the courtyard. It flew above them, and around the castle. I looked down once I heard someone yelling, and saw Arthur with his knights, all with shields and swords. Arthur however, had a spear instead of a sword. The creature, Griffin, flew above them, and Arthur and the knights all knelt down in the defending position. The Griffin then dove down, pushing all the knights, including Arthur, onto the ground. The quickly got up, and the Griffin flew up into the air once more. They then ran in front of the stairs that led into the castle, and took their stance. The Griffin then landed in the courtyard, right in front of them. Arthur and the knights knelt down in the defending position once again, and the Griffin kept hissing at them. They all then moved forward, and stopped in front of it, with their spears positioned in front of knights all ran forward towards the Griffin with a yell, with Arthur in the lead. They started attacking the Griffin, but backed away as it started hissing at them and striking with his paw. The knights all backed further away, but Arthur ran forward and started stabbing the Griffin with his spear. But then suddenly, the spear broke on the Griffins body! It snapped in half! I covered my mouth to muffle the gasp as I saw Arthur fall, and the Griffin rose on his back paws, preparing itself to strike Arthur. Thankfully some of the guards ran into the courtyard, and threw Arthur a torch. It landed close to him, and he quickly scrambled back onto his feet, grabbing it and waving it in front of the Griffin. It started hissing even more, but backed away, and with a final hiss... Flew away. I sighed in relief and slumped back into a chair by the window.

"We have to find a way to defeat it."

*5 minutes later*

I stood next to Gaius with Merlin on my other side, as the King walked into the throne room, with Arthur by his side.

"You said your Knights were the best in the land. You proved that today." He congratulated, ruffling Arthur's hair.

"All I know is that it's still out there." Arthur said, obviously tired from facing the Griffin.

"Let's not wait for it." Uther replied, making me share a look with Gaius and Merlin. "The kingdom has been menaced by this creature for too long. We finish this now."

"Sire, if I may." Gaius spoke up, causing both of the men to turn towards us. Arthur eyes landed on me, and I gave him a small smile.

"Gaius." Uther acknowledged, making Gaius walk forward, with me and Merlin close behind.

"I've been researching this creature, Sire. I believe it to be a Griffin."

"A Griffin." Uther repeated with a confused look on his face. "What's in the name?"

"A Griffin is a creature of magic." Gaius answered, making the King's expression harden noticeably.

"I don't have time for this, Physician."

"It is born of magic, Sire, and it can only be killed by magic."

"You are mistaken. It's a creature of flesh and blood like any other." Uther said in a stern tone. "Arthur proved that today." He said, placing a hand on Arthur';s shoulder. Although I could see that Arthur was considering what Gaius was saying to be true.

"I'm not so sure, Father. I think there may be some truth in he says." Arthur said, glancing at Gaius.

"What truth?" Uther asked, his tone becoming hard.

"The Griffin was unharmed, Sire. Our weapons seemed useless against it." Arthur said, making Gaius nod. He looked back at me and Merlin for a second, and I could see that this was going to get a lot worse.

"Useless? I think not." The King said sternly. I sighed quietly. Why can't he just believe them? Just because he hates magic doesn't mean that magic doesn't exist. He turned to look around, and Arthur looked at me with a frustrated look on his face, making me send him a sad smile. "Now, it's tasted our steal once. The next time will be its last." Uther said with a determined tone, looking at Gaius in particular. He then turned to look at Arthur. "When will your knights be ready to ride again?"

"An hour. Maybe two." Arthur answered in defeat, making Uther nod.

"Good." He then brought his gaze onto Gaius once again. "We finish this tonight." He then walked out of the room, and Merlin, Gaius, Arthur and I all shared a look. This is going to get really hard.


	40. Decision

**Thank you all for all the reviews! I can't wait to read more, and I hope you like this chapter!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

My brother, our guardian and I walked in to our quarters slowly, thinking.

"Is it true?" My voice broke the silence, causing both men to look at me. "The Griffin can only be killed by magic?"

"Yes, Anna. I'm certain of it." Gaius replied grimly. "If Arthur rides out against it he'll die."

"Then he must be stopped." I immediately said with worry in my voice.

"Uther must see reason." Merlin backed me up.

"When magic is concerned our King is blind to reason." Gaius said, deep in thought. "And yet," He started, walking closer to us. "Magic is our only hope." He said, looking at me pointedly.

"You're not suggesting..." I trailed off in a quiet, disbelieving voice. He cannot possibly be telling me that I have to go against that thing! Unfortunately, he nodded. Confirming my thoughts.

"It is your destiny, Anna. As is yours, Merlin. The true purpose of your magic. Merlin, you have to protect Arthur. Anna, your magic is very strong, stronger than your brother's. Possibly stronger than anyone's. You have to do this." Gaius said in a gentle voice, making me look at him in disbelief once again.

"You saw it, Gaius." I said shakily. "I can't go up against that thing."

"But if you do not... Then Arthur will surely perish." I closed my eyes, not wanting this to be true.

"No." Merlin whispered, and started pacing. "No no no no no no this is madness. This is..." He trailed off, looking at me in worry.

"I don't have magic that powerful, Gaius. There must be another way!" I exclaimed desperately.

"This is the only way." Our guardian replied, and I felt my brother stiffen.

"Do you even care what happens to her? Oh, just do this, Annabelle. Do that, Annabelle. Go and kill the Griffin, Annabelle. I'll just sit here and warm my feet by the fire!" I looked at Merlin in shock. How could he say something like that?!

"Merlin!" Both Gaius and I exclaimed, making me and my brother turn to look at him. Gaius's face softened as he walked up a little closer to us. "Merlin." He said in a much softer voice. "You and Annabelle are the only things I care about in all this world. I would give my life for you two without a thought. But for what? I cannot save Arthur. It is not my destiny. You know."

"Merlin." I said gently, placing my hand on his shoulder, making him look at me. "I know you are worried about me. But if this is the only way to save Arthur. To save all of us. I have to do it. And I need your support and help." I said pleadingly, and he wrapped his arm around me, kissing the side of my head softly. He then turned to look at Gaius, with his arm still around me protectively.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't know what else I can say." Our guardian said softly.

"Then I'll say it for you." I said, making them both look at me. "We have two hours to find a way to kill that thing."

*10 minutes later*

"There." Gaius pointed to the spell in the book of magic. I read it silently to myself, and my eyes widened. If this is the spell that I have to chant to defeat the Griffin, we will all surely die! "You must do this for Arthur."

"I've never cast a spell or enchantment this powerful." I breathed out.

"Nothing else will kill it." Gaius said. "Here." He handed me a knife. "Try." I took the knife, and looked at it with uncertainty. I can't do this!

"You have it within you. I know you do." Merlin said comfortingly, placing his hand on my shoulder from behind me.

"Look I have to go. Gwen is still with Morgana and I have to go to her house. She will grow suspicious if I won't be there when she returns. But it will take her some time to finish, so I'll run to her house and practice in there, alright? Merlin, you can practice in here." I suggested, and they both looked at one another.

"What if she catches you?" Merlin asked worriedly. "Or someone hears you"

"I'll be careful, I promise." I said, and they both nodded reluctantly. I gave them a weak smile and then ran out, grabbing my shawl on the way.

*1 hour later*

I sighed in irritation and slammed the knife down on the small table. I've been practicing the spell for the past hour and I just can't get it right.

"Anna?" I heard Gwen's voice, and I quickly shoved the knife under her bed, just as she walked in.

"Hi, Gwen. Tired?" I asked as she slumped into the chair by the dining table.

"A little." She admitted with a small smile, making me smile and walk up to her, grabbing her cloak from her and putting it up on the rack. "Thanks." I smiled and walked over to her once again, but this time sitting next to her. I opened my mouth to say something, but just then I heard a knock on the door.


	41. Worry and Power

**Thank you all so much for 100 favorites! I really appreciate all your support, and I am so happy that you're enjoying this story! I hope you also like this chapter!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Gwen and I shared a questioning look and I stood up, walking over to the door. I glanced back at my friend before opening the door. Lancelot stood in front of me.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, My Lady." He said, bowing his head slightly. I smiled a small smile. He wasn't in the cells anymore.

"Come in." I said, opening the door wider and moving aside. He smiled a small smile at me, and stepped inside, nodding to Gwen in acknowledgement. She looked at him confused, and stood up.

"Lancelot, what are you doing here?" She asked. "Aren't you supposed to be in the cells? Did you escape?" She asked worriedly, and Lancelot shook his head.

"No. Prince Arthur freed me." I smiled a little. Arthur was truly a good man. He is not like his father at all.

"Is there anything you need?" I asked, and he turned to look at me once again.

"I need weapons, armor. The best you've got." he said, and I looked at him confused.

"But what's it all about?" I asked, and he sighed.

"Arthur stands in mortal peril." My eyes widened, and I shared a look with Gwen, whilst he continued in a soft voice. "I must do what I can to protect him. It's my duty. Knight or not." I looked him in the eyes, and smiled a small smile.

"You really believe that, don't you?" I asked softly, and I noticed Gwen smiling in the corner.

"Yes, My Lady." He replied, and I shook my head a little.

"Lancelot, I don't believe I've ever met anyone like you before." I said softly, and he took a deep breath before stepping closer to me.

"Annabelle. If I shall not return-"

"Don't go." I interrupted, stepping closer as well and placing my hands on his chest. He looked me in the eyes with his beautiful, soft, caring, brown ones, and my breath hitched in my throat slightly. "Please." We stared into each other's eyes for a moment, before he broke the gaze by looking down and sighing.

"But go I must."

*25 minutes later*

"Merlin!" I cried, running into our quarters. My brother and guardian both looked up sharply at the sound of my voice, and looked at me questioningly. "Lancelot's riding out to kill the Griffin!"

"He's what?" Merlin breathed out, shooting up from his sitting position on the the stairs that led to our room. I sighed and nodded. We both shared a glance just as Gwen ran in after me. I noticed him glance at her for a moment, love clear in his eyes. I sighed and turned around, running out of the quarters.

"Annabelle!" I heard Gaius call, but I didn't turn back.

"Merlin!" I heard Gwen's voice, letting me know that my brother ran after me.

*10 minutes later*

I stopped running once I saw Lancelot saddling his horse, and let Merlin catch up with me. He did so within a second, and we both walked up to Lancelot.

"We're coming with you." I said, and he looked up. He looked at us both in shock, and with worry.

"No, you're not."

"Just try and stop me." I said, daring him to do so.

"Annabelle, you cannot fight. You might get hurt." He said with worry and concern.

"I can fight very well, and besides, I can take care of myself." I said confidently, and he sighed looking at Merlin for help. When he received none, he looked at me once more.

"Alright, maybe you can fight, but not that thing!"

"Lancelot, you said it yourself. Arthur needs all the help he can get." I said, placing my hand on his arm. "I know you're worried, but trust me. I am capable of more than you think." I said gently, and he nodded reluctantly.

"Then let's go." Merlin said, jumping onto a horse.

"Merlin, you're not a soldier!" Lancelot protested exasperated, and I sighed, jumping onto another horse quickly. I know he is worried about us, but there is no time for this.

"There's no time." I urged, turning my horse around so that it would gallop straight into the woods. "We have to go."

*15 minutes later*

The three of us rode through the woods, barely managing not to bump into the trees because of the fog and darkness. It was so dark that I could barely see my hand in front of my face. I pulled the reigns of the horse I was riding, commanding it to stop. Merlin and Lancelot looked at me confused, stopping as well.

"What are you doing?" My brother asked, and I quickly put my hand up to shut him up.

"Sh!" We all looked to the side as we heard many cries of men, followed by hissing of a creature. The Griffin. We shared a glance, and then quickly sprinted down the hill in the direction of the cries.

The horses slowed down once we reached the place where the battle obviously happened. Merlin quickly jumped off of his horse, checking the wounded, or the dead, to find Arthur. I quickly looked around making sure that the creature is not here at the moment. I was about to dismount, but Lancelot's hands stopped me. I smiled at him gently and put my hands on his shoulders whilst he put his on my waist, helping me dismount the horse.

"Arthur!" I heard Merlin breath out, making me quickly run up to him.

"Is he alright?" I asked quickly and worriedly, seeing Arthur unconscious, slumped against a huge rock, where he probably hit his head.

"Well, he's alive." Merlin replied, making me sigh in relief. But it didn't last long. We all looked up sharply as we heard the hissing of the Griffin to our right. We slowly got up, and looked around for the source, but couldn't see anything because of the fog. I shared a glance with Merlin, and saw Lancelot running back to his horse form the corner of my eye. Merlin knelt down next to Arthur for a second, trying to wake him up, but got back up quickly once the beast landed in front of us. My eyes however, followed Lancelot's horse as it galloped away in the direction of the castle. He then stopped, and turned back around, with a long spear in his hand. The Griffin hissed dangerously and I glanced back at Lancelot nervously, whilst he pulled down his head display. "Okay. It's now or never, Anna." Merlin breathed out nervously, and I looked at him in shock.

"Merlin, I can't do it! I didn't get enough practice." I said, and he looked at me sternly, but still worriedly.

"Alright, I'll do it." He said in defeat as Lancelot's horse neighed and stood back on his back hooves majestically before galloping towards the beast with the spear in positioned in front. "Bregdan anweald gafeluec." Merlin chanted, but nothing happened. He looked at me in desperation, and I nodded to him in encouragement. "Bregdan anweald gafeluec. Bregdan anweald gafeluec!" He yelled as Lancelot strode past us. Still, nothing happened. Merlin turned his gaze towards me. "You have to do it, Anna. I don't have enough power!" I sighed and looked at Lancelot in pain. If I don't do this, he will die. As will surely Arthur and everyone else. I sighed once again, before taking a deep breath and closing my eyes. Once I opened them, I felt them flash gold and felt enormous power radiate off of me. It's now or never.


	42. Goodbye

**Thank you all for your reviews! I hope you like this chapter!**

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*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"Bregdan anweald gafeluec." Annabelle said the spell as her eyes glowed. Suddenly the spear that Lancelot was holding started to illuminate with a bright blue light. The Griffin flew towards Lancelot, but was met with the spear instead, which stabbed it in the heart. The force of the creature flipped it over the horse and Lancelot, which almost knocked Lancelot off of his horse, before landing on the ground. Dead.

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I felt a grin grow on my face as I heard Merlin laughing in disbelief behind me. I turned around to look at him, and then hugged him tightly. We broke apart as I pulled away to look at Lancelot, who slid up his head display and looked at us from where he was further away. His whole face was sweaty, and he looked at me with an unreadable expression. My brows furrowed in confusion when I saw him looking at me like that, but my brother didn't seem to notice as he continued to grin and laugh. However, he stopped when we heard a groan to our right. It was Arthur. He was waking up. I sighed in relief, glad beyond words that he was alright, but then quickly grimaced as I realized that Merlin and I will have to literally run back to the castle. The horses were spooked by the Griffin, and Arthur couldn't see us here. I gave Lancelot a smile and then grabbed Merlin by the arm, pulling him behind me as we ran back to the castle.

*10 minutes later*

I opened the door to Gaius's quarters and walked in with Merlin behind me.

"Merlin!" Gwen exclaimed, getting up from the chair she was sitting on and hugging him tightly. I saw him smile and he hugged her back just as tightly. I smiled at the sight of my brother falling in love more and more with every minute and walked over to Gaius, who looked at me with a grin once he saw my relieved expression.

"You did it?" He asked quietly, making sure that Gwen didn't hear, and I nodded, breathing heavily from the use of magic and from running.

"I did it." Gaius laughed quietly with relief and then hugged me tightly.

"Thank God."I smiled and hugged him back, but suddenly frowned and pulled away.

"I'll be right back." I said, and ran out of the quarters before anyone could stop me. There was only one word that was in my mind. Lancelot.

*5 minutes later*

I stopped running and slowed down once I reached the outside of the throne room, where I saw Lancelot with his back facing me.

"What are they doing?" I asked, referring to Arthur and Uther when I heard yelling from inside the throne room. The doors however, remained closed. Lancelot turned around to face me once he heard me and sighed, shrugging.

"Deciding my fate." He replied, and I looked at him in disbelief. How can Uther still want to punish Lancelot when he defeated the monster that was terrorizing his kingdom?!

"I'm sure they'll restore your knighthood." I comforted, but he only shook his head. "You killed the Griffin."

"But I didn't kill the Griffin." Lancelot said, walking a little further down the hallway. I looked at him confused and followed him. He then brought his gaze onto me and sent me a smile. "You did." I looked at him for a second stopping myself from gasping and forced a laugh.

"That's ridiculous." I protested, and he sent me soft and gentle look.

"Bragdan anuell." He said with a small smile, and I looked at the guards that were standing outside the doors of the throne room worriedly. If they heard that... "I heard you. I saw you." Lancelot followed my gaze to the guards and smiled a soft smile at me. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." I sighed in relief and smiled at him, but then frowned once another thought entered my head.

"Do you also know about-?"

"Merlin?" he interrupted and smiled. "Yes. I heard him also."

"But it doesn't matter, Lancelot. You killed the Griffin." I assured, and then lowered my voice. "I only helped."

"I cannot take the credit for what I did not do." He protested. "There'll be no more lies, no more deceit." I looked at him with a small smile and placed my hand on his shoulder gently.

"What are you going to do?"

"The only thing I can do." He replied, and turned around. My eyes followed him, and widened once I saw him barging into the throne room before the guards could stop him.I stepped a little closer, but remained out of everyone's view.

"What is this?!" Uther demanded as the guards restrained Lancelot.

"Let me speak." He hissed, struggling against them.

"Wait!" Uther ordered. "I'll hear him." My eyes widened in surprise at that, but the guards only nodded and stepped away from Lancelot.

"Forgive me, Sire." Lancelot apologized. "I've come to bid you farewell." My jaw dropped a little.

"What?" I whispered, but thankfully no one heard me.

"What is this, Lancelot?" Arthur asked, as confused as I.

"I lied to you both and now there is conflict between you. I cannot bare that burden. As you should not bare mine... I must start again. Far from here. And maybe, one day, fate shall grant me another chance. To prove myself a worthy Knight of Camelot." I watched and listened to Lancelot in shock, but pride nonetheless.

"But-... Lancelot, you've-... Already proved that to us." Arthur objected, and I smiled a small smile.

"But I must prove it to myself." Lancelot stated. "You Highness." He bowed to Uther. he then bowed to Arthur. "Prince Arthur." And then, he left the throne room and walked away. I quickly ran after him, and grabbed his arm once I caught up with him.

"So you're leaving?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Yes. I want to start again, in another place." He then sent me a gentle smile. "I'm leaving tomorrow at first light. But there are things I will miss about Camelot." I smiled as he looked at me.

"I'm afraid that we will have to say goodbye right now, Lancelot. I won't be able to see you tomorrow. You can stay with Merlin and Gaius for tonight but I will have to go to Morgana early in the morning." I said sadly, and he nodded, looking down. I smiled gently and hugged him tightly. My arms wrapped around his neck, and his wrapped around my waist. "I'll miss you." I said and let a small tear escape my eye. We pulled away and he smiled gently at me once he saw the tear and wiped it with his thumb.

"You shouldn't cry, My Lady. I am not worthy of your tears." He whispered, and I smiled, standing on my tip toes and letting my lips touch his cheek.

"Perhaps you are."

*The Next Day, Third Person's P.O.V.*

"Anna?" Guinevere called gently as she and the Lady Morgana walked into Morgana's chambers.

"Annabelle?" This time the Lady Morgana called softly. The girl they were calling for was standing by the window, watching Lancelot leave Camelot. She sighed quietly and wiped a tear off her cheek. Gwen and Morgana shared a look before Morgana walked up to Annabelle and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Anna gasped and whirled around, before calming down once she realized that it was only her best friend. "Did Lancelot leave?" Morgana asked, and Annabelle nodded, another tear falling down her cheek. Morgana watched her with sympathetic eyes and then pulled her into a soft hug. Gwen walked over and rubbed Annabelle's back comfortingly as she cried into Morgana's shoulder.

"Yes."

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**So, how did you like the "Lancelot" episode? How do you like the relationship between the bravest and most noble of them all, and Annabelle? Personally, I love it and I love writing about it, but I'd also like to hear your thoughts on it. I've always found Lancelot the most handsome out of the boys, except for Arthur that is, and I wanted him to play an important role in this character's life. Not to mention there is something going on between Merlin and Gwen, and I didn't want to ruin it with having Lancelot fall for Gwen. But, I also wanted to add a bit more drama to Annabelle and Arthur's relationship. I know, I know, Annabelle being a servant and Arthur being a prince, along with Anna having magic should be enough, but I like to torment my characters ;) Besides, I always believed that the more drama there is, the better and more intriguing it is. So please, leave reviews and tell me what you think about the beginning of this love triangle!**


	43. A Remedy to Cure All Ills

**Thank you all for your reviews! I would like to address two of them:**

**Cow-Lover2214**** \- I'm glad you like it. I was always a big fan of Lancelot, and I wanted him to play a big part in my character's life. Not to mention if he fell for Gwen, that would complicate things for her and Merlin, and I don't want any unneeded drama for characters or relationships besides my main one. For example, I don't want Gwen to be involved in a love triangle, because that would indicate that there is more drama and problems in her life than Annabelle's, and Annabelle is my main concern and I want to show how complicated her life is; and it's going to be very complicated and painful, as well as dangerous. **

**Guest**** \- Thank you so much! I appreciate you stating suggestions in such a kind manner. Well, I can definitely promise you that there is more of Annabelle/Arthur coming, but I want to develop this relationship slowly. Personally, I honestly hate when someone writes a story and has two characters meet, and then kiss and profess their undying love for each other the very next day. I think it's ridiculous, because things like that just don't happen in real life. I know that this is all fantasy (magic, monsters), but I want the relationship that Annabelle and Arthur have seem realistic. I want to write many small moments for them instead of not having them speak to each other at all and then just kiss all of a sudden and fall in love. For example, I've met people who confessed that they weren't fans of Arthur and Guinevere because they always thought that their relationship didn't seem realistic. And I have to agree. Arthur and Guinevere only exchanged two or three sentences in season 1, and then all of a sudden Gwen gives this huge romantic speech when he was dying int he season finale, and then they kiss at the beginning of season 2, and fall in this 'otherworldly' love. So I wanted to ****_build up_**** Annabelle and Arthur's relationship, instead of making their love as if out of the blue. So, there is definitely more of Arthur/Annabelle coming, but there won't be much in this episode; only one small moment, seeing as this episode is mostly concentrated on Gaius, and I want to describe more of his relationship with Annabelle instead of Annabelle's relationship with Arthur. But, I give you my word that there is more of Arthur and Annabelle coming up in other episodes. It will all start majorly in 1x08, and proceed from there. But there will be a bit before that, don't worry.**

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*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Look what has just arrived for you." I sang, walking into Morgana's chambers. She and Gwen both looked up once they heard me, and smiled.

"Who are they from?" Morgana asked, touching one of the beautiful white flowers that were in my hands.

"I don't know." I replied and handed her the flowers. I then smirked. "Maybe Arthur." Gwen chuckled once I said that, and Morgana looked up at me giving me a look.

"How disappointing." She stated, making me chuckle. "Besides, he has his eyes on you, not me." She said, making Gwen giggle and me roll my eyes.

"Anyways," I said, making Morgana giggle. "Who would you like them to be from?"

"I don't know." Morgana replied, and then looked at me. "Total stranger." I smiled and took the flowers from her.

"I'l put these in the water for you." I said, and she smiled at me as I walked out of her chambers.

"Thank you!" She called after me, making me smile.

*Late in the Evening*

I fixed the flowers that arrived for Morgana today in a vase on the table by her bed. I then smiled at Gwen as she blew out the last candle, and fixed the sheets so that Morgana could be more comfortable.

"See you in the morning." Gwen said, and walked out of the chambers.

"Goodnight." I said, and followed Gwen out.

"Goodnight." Morgana replied, and I smiled, closing the door.

*2 days later*

I smiled a small smile as I watched Merlin comfort Gwen, but quickly replaced it with a worried frown. Morgana has fallen ill, and no one knows why or what illness she has. It's been two days, and she hasn't woken up. We all looked up as we heard someone coming down the stairs that led to Morgana's chambers, and saw Gaius. Gwen immediately walked over to him.

"Is she any better?" She asked, and Gaius shook his head sadly. She frowned, and then walked up the stairs to Morgana's chambers, wanting to be by her side. Gaius then walked over to me and Merlin.

"She's all but dead, you two." He said gravely, making me sigh sadly and tears build up in my eyes. Morgana is my best friend. Merlin saw how upset I was and quickly put his arm around me, holding me tight.

"No, you're going to cure her." Merlin assured him, but I wasn't sure if it was to assure Gaius, himself, or me. "You have to."

"Don't you start." Gaius said quietly. "I've tried everything."

"I was wondering." Merlin started, making us look at him.

"What?" I asked, causing him to look at me.

"Maybe you or I could..." He paused once a guard passed us. He then cleared his throat and continued. "Help." My eyes widened, and I pulled away from him to look at him sternly.

"If you're suggesting magic..." I trailed off in a whisper.

"Have you forgotten what happened with Gwen's father?" Gaius asked, and Merlin nodded quickly. "This is not a magical illness, it must be cured by convectional means." Gaius said, and Merlin nodded in understanding.

*Next Day*

Merlin and I were standing in the royals' personal servants' entrance to the throne room, watching the man that claims to have a remedy to cure all ills, Edwin Muirden, speak with the King, Arthur, and Gaius.

"There are not many ills that I have not seen and successfully treated, Sire." Edwin told the King. He had blonde hair with a slight hint of red to it, and a nasty scar that covered half of his face and neck. It looked like a scar of a severe burn to me. "So when I heard of the Lady Morgana's sickness, I felt honor bound to offer my services." He finished, turning to Gaius.

"You say you have a cure for all, and antidote for everything." Gaius said, walking up to Edwin.

"Yes." Edwin replied shortly, not looking Gaius in the eye, which made me slightly suspicious. "Although it is not quite simple as that."

"Gaius is the Court Physician." Uther explained, sitting down on his throne. Edwin then looked at Gaius.

"You are indeed a legend, Sir. I am delighted to meet you." He said politely, bowing to Gaius. I could easily tell that Gaius felt very proud for earning such respect. "I am curious to know what it is that has affected her."

"An infection of the brain." Gaius said.

"And your treatment?" Edwin asked.

"Yarrow."

"Yes. Yes." Edwin nodded approvingly.

"Rosemary to stimulate the circulation." Gaius continued.

"Interesting." Edwin commented.

"Why? What would you suggest?" Arthur asked, speaking up for the first time.

"No, no. No, no, no. That is all fine." Edwin assured, before looking at Gaius. "All good. If that is... The right diagnosis." He finished, and I could see that Gaius was slightly offended. Uther then stood up from his throne and walked up to Edwin.

"What would your diagnosis be?" He asked, giving Edwin back the parchment that he received from him. Edwin took it back, bowing, before looking at the King.

"Well..." He sighed. "Without examining the patient..." He trailed off pointedly.

"He should examine her." Arthur told his father. They both then looked at Edwin.

"I would need my equipment." Edwin said, making Uther nod.

"Of course. You'll have use of one of the guests' chambers." He said, sitting back down in his throne.

"And consider my manservant at your disposal." Arthur said, glancing at Merlin as he did so. Edwin also glanced at Merlin, and then his eyes landed on me. He stared at me for a moment, making me feel uncomfortable. I thanked God once he looked back at the King.

"I will start work immediately." He said, bowing low to the royals. He then looked at me one last time before walking out of the room. Arthur must have noticed his gaze linger on me, as he turned to look at me with a worried look. I just gave him a small, reassuring smile. I didn't want to worry him. Not when I wasn't sure if there was anything to worry about.

*20 minutes later*

Uther, Gaius, Arthur, and I were all waiting for Edwin and Merlin to shop up in Morgana's chambers. I was standing next to Arthur, seeing as the King was standing by Morgana's bed, staring at his Ward worriedly. I noticed Arthur tapping his foot nervously, causing me to put a hand on his arm discreetly, trying to calm him down a little bit. He looked at me with a small smile in thanks, and put his hand on top of mine, squeezing it gently. His arms were crossed across his chest, so it was barely noticeable that he did so. I smiled at him and noticed that he stopped tapping his foot. We gazed into each other's eyes, but snapped out of our daze once the door opened. I quickly removed my hand from Arthur's, and we all looked at Merlin who entered carrying three boxes, followed by Edwin.

"Put my equipment over there." Edwin pointed to Morgana's dining table, and Merlin immediately did so. "Sire, I would be grateful if you'd have everyone leave the room. I require peace and privacy." Edwin addressed the King, making him nod quickly.

"Certainly." He agreed. He and Arthur then looked at Morgana one last time, before walking out of the room. Merlin and I were about to follow, but stopped once we noticed that Gaius wasn't coming along.

"That includes you, Gaius." Edwin said, looking at the older man.

"But I am eager to learn from your methods." Gaius said.

"Now is not the time for instruction." Edwin said coldly. "I will need all my concentration."

"Gaius." Uther called from the doorway, telling him silently to leave. Gaius looked at Edwin one last time, before leaving the room, quickly followed by Merlin. I stayed for a second longer, staring at Edwin, and wondering what could have caused his cold behavior towards Gaius. Edwin then looked at me, and smirked a little, which caused me to give him one last suspicious look before leaving the room, and closing the door.

*25 minutes later*

"Great news, Your Majesty!" Edwin exclaimed, running down the stairs that led to Morgana's chambers, causing all of us to look up. "You will be glad to hear, it is not an inflammation of the brain."

"What is it then?" Uther asked.

"It is a cerebral haemorrhage." Edwin informed.

"Haemorrhage?" Gaius exclaimed quietly. "I don't think so." Edwin looked at Gaius with a faint smirk.

"I found this trace of blood in her ear." He said, showing us a folded napkin with crimson blood on it.

"God in heaven." Uther exclaimed, whilst Merlin, Gaius, and I shared a look.

"The severity depends upon the sight, and volume of the bleed." Edwin explained. "If not treated, it can lead curma, and..." He paused, looking at Gaius before looking back at Uther. "Eventually death." Uther then looked at Gaius in disbelief.

"How could you've missed this?"

"I didn't see any blood." Gaius replied.

"Please." Edwin started with a small smirk. "Let's just thank the fate that you did not administrate more Rosemary to stimulate the circulation. Can you imagine what that might have done?" We all looked at Gaius for an explanation.

"It may have increased the bleed." Gaius explained grimly, making Uther give him a hard look before looking back at Edwin.

"Is there a cure?" He asked, and Edwin smiled.

"See for yourself." He said and gestured towards the stairs. Uther and Arthur quickly walked up the stairs, whilst Gaius, Merlin and I all shared a look before following. Arthur went first, followed by Uther, Gaius, me, Merlin, and then Edwin. Arthur then entered Morgana's chambers, and all of our eyes widened when we saw Morgana awake and sitting in her bed.

"Morgana." Uther breathed out in amazement. "This is truly a miracle." He rushed to her side, kissing her head. I smiled a little. This was one of these rare moments where we were able to see that Uther actually had a heart. "I thought. I really thought..."

"Oh you won't get rid of me that easily." Morgana joked, making all of us smile. Except for Gaius, who walked up to her.

"What exactly did Edwin give you?" He asked.

"I have no idea." She replied, making Gaius look at Edwin, who was smiling triumphantly. "But thank heaven he did." I smiled and walked over to her, sitting on her bed.

"Well, thank heaven you're alright, My Lady." I said using her title seeing as the King was here, and she smiled at me, before pulling me into a tight hug. I smiled and hugged her back tightly, but I could still feel two gazes on me. One I immediately recognized as Arthur's, but the other one was not a pleasant one. Edwin's.


	44. This is Not Good

**Thank you all for the reviews! I hope you like this chapter!**

**BadSmiles**** \- I'm sorry, but I don't understand a word from your review.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Merlin, can you please explain to me one more time why you are taking me here?" I asked as my brother pulled me into Edwin's chambers.

"Ah, so you have brought her after all." Edwin said, putting an open box on the table. He then walked over to me and grabbed my hand, placing a kiss on it. "It's a pleasure." He said, never breaking eye contact with me.

"Likewise." I said, forcing a smile. He smiled at me and glanced at Merlin.

"Merlin tells me that you have an even more powerful magic than him." My eyes widened and I looked at Merlin in shock. "I would love it if you could demonstrate it."

"I beg your pardon?" I choked out, and he smiled, walking over to the table and grabbing the open box he was holding before, whilst I gave Merlin a death glare. My brother walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry." He whispered. "He has magic too." I looked up at him, and then at Edwin. My brows furrowed in suspicion.

"What were you thinking?" I hissed to him, and he only shrugged.

"He cured Morgana. Besides, he saw me using magic. I can't hide it from him." My eyes widened as he whispered these words to me, just as Edwin walked over to us and stood on my other side.

"Here." Edwin gestured to the open box, only to see it filled with moving black beetles. "Your brother brought them to life. I want you to take it away." I looked at him for a second, and then sighed. He already knows I have magic. The least I can do is cooperate so that we won't be in danger.

"Swefn." I whispered, and the beetles stopped moving, freezing in their positions. I looked up, only to see Edwin looking at me with a small smile.

"Very good." He praised.

"What are these?" I asked, glancing at the beetles.

"These little angels are how I cured Lady Morgana." Edwin explained, looking at the beetles. "They repaired the damage to her brain." He then looked up at me and Merlin. "They saved her life." He said quietly, before closing the box and walking over to the table with his equipment. I shared a look with Merlin and then we both followed him. "Magic can be a force for good."

"We know that." I said.

"Then why do you fear it?" Edwin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uther has banned it." Merlin said.

"It's not permitted." I added.

"Should I have let Morgana die?" Edwin asked, making me look at him oddly, but also with a hint of fear.

"No." Both Merlin and I answered quietly, shaking our heads lightly.

"People like us." Edwin started, looking at us intently. "We have a gift... Do you not think it should be used to make this a better world?" He cocked his head to the side before walking around the table slowly.

"Perhaps." I answered carefully, and followed him with my eyes. Merlin did as well, but as he turned around his hand hit a bottle and made it fall over, blue powder falling out of it. Merlin immediately started cleaning it up.

"Don't waste your time picking that up." Edwin said, making Merlin take a step back. Edwin's eyes then fell on the powder. "Feormian dust rénian." The powder then floated into the air gently, and back into the bottle. Even though I still didn't trust Edwin, I couldn't help but smile a little as I watched his magic. "Why waste a talent like that?" He asked with a small smirk. "And I can teach you two." He said, and then glanced down at the bottle, and looked at me pointedly. I sighed silently and looked down at the bottle.

"Rǽdee ásce geotan." I chanted, and the bottle levitated into the air. It then slowly flew above a bowl, and tilted so that the powder could fall into the bowl instead. The bottle then returned to its place, and I looked up at Edwin.

"What do you use this for?" He asked with a small smile.

"Gaius doesn't let us to." Merlin said.

"Gifts, like yours, should be nurtured, practiced, enjoyed." Edwin said, walking up to stand closer to me. "You two need someone to help you. To encourage you."

"Perhaps." Merlin said, making me sigh silently once again. I don't trust Edwin. And I never will, whilst he started to treat him like a friend. Edwin then turned to look at me.

"Imagine what we could achieve, my dear Annabelle, if we shared our knowledge." I shuddered lightly as he said my name. I did not like it at all.

"We should be getting back." I said, forcing a weak smile.

"Of course." He nodded. "But you two must promise to keep our secret safe."

"Of course." Both Merlin and I nodded, and he smiled at us.

"People like you and I. We must look after each other. " Edwin said, and Merlin smiled at him before leaving. I went to follow, but was stopped as Edwin's hand grasped mine. "Perhaps you would like to take a walk with me?" He asked, and I felt fear enter my heart.

"I'm sorry but I have to get back to the Lady Morgana." I said in a cold voice, and he nodded.

"Of course. Perhaps another time." He said, and I nodded, forcing a smile.

"Perhaps." I went to leave again, but he stopped me by pulling me back and kissing my hand one more time.

"Until then." He said, and I nodded, before ripping my hand out of his grasp and leaving his chambers as quickly as I could. What has Merlin gotten me into?!


	45. The Consequences

**Thank you all for the reviews! I hope to hear more of your thoughts soon, and I hope you like this chapter.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Merlin and I walked out from our room and down the steps that led into Gaius's quarters, only to find our guardian sitting on a bench in front of his desk, reading a book that lied on it. All the candles were still lit from yesterday as well.

"Have you been up all night?" I asked, concerned for his health as Merlin started putting his jacket on. Gaius took a deep breath.

"Yes, but it was worth it." He replied tiredly. "Where are you two going?" He asked as Merlin slung his bag over his shoulder.

"I'm going to see Morgana. Gwen and I promised to come earlier for the entire week to make sure that she is in fact alright." I explained, and Gaius nodded with a small smile.

"Uh, I told Edwin I'd be up at dawn to collect some supplies." Merlin explained himself, and I noticed Gaius's smile falter a bit.

"Well, you better get a move on then." He said, acting nonchalant. I gave him a small suspicious look, but Merlin just smiled a small smile before giving me a kiss on the forehead and leaving.

"Gaius, are you sure you're alright?" I asked, and he nodded, giving me a small smile.

"I'm fine." I nodded somewhat reluctantly before giving him a kiss on the cheek and leaving as well.

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"Uther will be furious when he finds out who you are." Gaius warned mischievously with a small smirk, looking at Edwin coldly. He now knew the truth, after reviewing the Records. Edwin was a son of two sorcerers who used to be Gaius's friends. That meant that Edwin also had magic.

"Fine." Edwin said, surprising Gaius to say the least. "Fine. Shall we tell him?" He asked, gesturing to the doors before proceeding to leave. "Lets go and tell him. Let's tell him. Let's tell him everything." He grabbed the knob, ready to open the doors, before stopping in his tracks suddenly and turning around to face Gaius. "Ooh. I know." He smiled as Gaius walked over to stand in front of him. "We could also tell him about Merlin and Annabelle." Gaius felt panic rise up in his chest, but decided to play nonchalant.

"Merlin and Annabelle?"

"You didn't know they were sorcerers?" Edwin asked slyly. He then put on a look of fake sorrow, walking away from the doors and back to his desk. "Ah. I wonder what Uther will do. Probably have them burned." He said with a faint smirk as Gaius walked over to stand across from him.

"You would betray your own kind?" Gaius asked in slight disbelief, but in an accusing tone. Edwin's face became as hard as stone.

"You did." He snapped. "When you turned a blind eye, and let my parents die at the hands of Uther!" He yelled accusingly. "At least Merlin or Annabelle don't have a son who would try to rescue them from the flames!" Edwin spat, his voice shaking slightly as the memories flooded his mind.

"You're here to take revenge." Gaius noted.

"And I have waited a long time." Edwin replied slowly, his words deadly.

"You think I will sacrifice the King to save Merlin and Annabelle?"

"Think about it, Gaius." Edwin said. "But if I find out that you have told one other person, including the boy or the girl!... I will go straight to Uther."

* * *

*Late at Night*

Gaius stood in the doorway to Merlin and Annabelle's room, and watched the two sleeping peacefully in their beds. He already loved them as if they were his own children. How was he supposed to choose between them and the King? He sighed heavily and looked down, knowing that he will sooner or later regret what he was about to do.

*10 minutes later, The Great Dragon's Cave*

"Hello?!" Gaius called out, standing in the entrance to the Great Dragon's cave. "It is me! Gaius!" Suddenly he heard a growl and a sound of a moving chain, causing him to look up. He then heard a growl and flapping of wings, making him look down. Not a second later, the Great Dragon flew out from behind the huge stone, and landed on it, lying down and looking at the Physician.

"How old a man can become, and yet change so little." He mused.

"You have not changed either." Gaius retorted.

"20 years. Almost a lifetime, to make the short journey back to where you began."

"I'm not here for myself." Gaius protested.

"The boy and the girl." The Great Dragon guessed, although it was more of a statement. He knew this was going to happen.

"You know about Merlin and Annabelle?" Gaius asked, a little surprised. Although he shouldn't be. The Great Dragon always knew things before anyone else.

"You have struggled against their destinies, but you can no more prevent it, than they can." The Great Dragon said wisely.

"So it is true then?"

"Oh yes." The Great Dragon said quietly, almost dreamily. "They and the young Pendragon one day will unite the land of Albion."

"But they are in danger." Gaius said.

"No, it is my jailer who stands in peril." The Great Dragon replied smoothly, not being able to hide the hint of triumph in his voice.

"Must Uther be sacrificed for the boy and the girl?" Gaius asked.

"Their time cannot come, until his has passed." The Great Dragon said.

"But is that the only way?" Gaius pressed, but the Great Dragon only chuckled.

"That is of your choosing."

"I will not choose between them." Gaius declared strongly.

"Then turn a blind eye. That is, after all, your talent." The Great Dragon said, unable to hide the distaste in his voice. Gaius hasn't done anything to stop Uther form killing his kin and imprisoning him. Gaius looked at the Great Dragon with hurt in his eyes, as well as regret, but the Great Dragon did not take any notice to it.

* * *

*The Next Day, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Gaius. Uther cannot do this to you." I protested as Merlin and I walked into Gaius's quarters. We have just both found out that the King retired him! And now Edwin is going to be the Court Physician. This cannot be happening.

"You tired to save Morgana!" Merlin agreed with me, not wanting Gaius to leave either.

"Uther's not to blame." Gaius shook his head, packing one of his things.

"I will speak to Edwin. You can work together." Merlin offered.

"You mustn't do anything." Gaius shook his head.

"We can't stand by and do nothing!" I protested.

"Uther's right. It's time I step down." Gaius said, packing some more things.

"What are you doing?" I asked, not understanding why he was packing.

"I cannot stay when there's no longer a use for me." Gaius explained.

"You're not leaving?" I asked, scared to hear the answer.

"I believe it's for the best." Gaius said.

"Then we'll come with you." Merlin said, and I nodded in agreement. There is no way I will say goodbye to Gaius. He has been like a father to us.

"Merlin, Annabelle, you are like my own children. I never expected such a blessing so late in life.

"And you are more than a father to us." I said shakily, trying not to let the tears in my eyes fall. Gaius smiled at us, and walked over to stand closer.

"Than as a father, I must tell you, you two must remain here. Camelot is where you belong."

"You belong here too." I said.

"Not anymore." Gaius said, and took a deep breath before placing one of his hands on my shoulder, and the other on Merlin's. "Merlin, Annabelle, you two must promise me you will not waste your gifts.

"Those gifts mean nothing without you to guide us." I whispered as a tear escaped my eye.

"You two have great destinies. If I have had a small part to play in that, then I'm pleased." He then took his hands off of our shoulders and looked at us with a soft, fatherly look.

"There is so much we have yet to learn." Merlin said quietly. "We need you to teach us."

"I'm afraid I'm leaving here tonight, you two." Gaius said solemnly. "And there is nothing either of you can do or say that can persuade me otherwise."

"I will not let this happen." Merlin said determinedly, before turning around and walking out of the room. I sighed and wiped the tear off my cheek, before sitting down on a chair beside me.

* * *

*2 hours later*

"This is it, Anna." Gaius said, readying himself to walk out of the room. "I'm afraid this is a goodbye."

"Can I at least walk you out?" I asked, standing up. Although he looked reluctant, Gaius nodded.

"Alright."

* * *

*15 minutes later, The Lower Town*

We have just walked out through the castle's gates, and I was readying myself to say goodbye to my guardian who has been like a father to me.

"Gaius?" I heard Gwen's voice, and saw her walking over to us. "You're leaving?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't come and say goodbye." Gaius apologized.

"I don't want you to go." She said with a sad frown. "I don't trust Edwin. There was no blood in Morgana's ear. He put it there." My eyes widened slightly as these words left her mouth. "He did something to her, I know he did."

"You should be careful who you say that to." Gaius warned.

"I'm saying it to you because you can do something about it." Gwen said.

"I can't."

"But you think the same, don't you?" I asked, speaking up for the first time. I saw the suspicious and wary glances Gaius gave Edwin.

"He's evil." Gwen agreed with me.

"It's not that simple." Gaius protested softly.

"So you're going to turn your back on us." Gwen breathed out in disbelieving, but also in a slightly accusing tone.

"I have no choice." Gaius said sorrowfully. "I'm sorry."

"In life you always have a choice." I said, making them both look at me. "Sometimes it's just easier to think that you don't."

"Well then, my choice is to leave." Gaius said.

"Then I'll miss you." Gwen said quietly with a frown, before kissing him on the cheek. "Goodbye, Gaius." She said finally, before walking away. I sighed and faced Gaius.

"I'll miss you." I said quietly, before wrapping my arms around Gaius him in a hug. He hugged me back tightly and kissed my head in a fatherly way.

"I'll miss you too, my dear." I pulled away and wiped a tear off my cheek.

"Goodbye, Gaius." I said with a sad frown, before kissing him on the cheek and going back to the castle.

* * *

*Late in the Evening, Third Person's P.O.V.*

Merlin and Annabelle were walking down the stairs that led to the Lady Morgana's chambers. They have both finished their work for the day, and Annabelle had to get some of the sheets washed, so Merlin offered to help her. They just turned to the right to go to the kitchen, when Prince Arthur suddenly came running.

"Merlin! Annabelle!" He called urgently, causing the two siblings to whip around in alarm. "My father has Morgana's illness. We must find Edwin!" He urged, before running back to where he came from. Annabelle and Merlin shared a quick glance, before dropping the sheets and running toward Edwin's chambers.

After a moment or two of running, the two siblings burst into Edwin's chambers, only to find him with Gaius. Gaius was standing with his back against a pillar, and was surrounded by a circle of fire. Edwin was standing in front of him, raising the flames.

"What are you doing?!" Annabelle demanded as Merlin ran over to Gaius, trying to get past the flames.

"He was trying to kill the King, I couldn't let him." Gaius explained in a rush.

"I can rule the kingdom now." Edwin announced in triumph, before bringing his gaze onto Annabelle. "With you at my side. We can be all powerful. You can marry me, and I can teach you everything you want to know. Your power will not go to waste. I promise you."

"Release him!" The young sorceress demanded, making Edwin sigh in disappointment.

"Your loss, my dear." Edwin said, before looking at one of the axes on the wall. He then raised his hand and made the ax levitate. He then pointed his hand in Annabelle's direction, and the ax flew in her direction, spinning dangerously, ready to slaughter her where she stood.

"Anna!" Merlin yelled, just as Annabelle's eyes started to glow. She leaned back with her back bent into an arch, trying to hold back Edwin's power with her own. The ax stopped an inch from her face, but Edwin kept trying.

"Swilte Annabelle." He chanted, but Annabelle forced all she had in her to overpower him. The ax then slowly started to move itself away from her face, and she slowly started to straiten her back, keeping her eyes on the weapon the entire time. Once Annabelle was fully in control of the ax, she straitened her back abruptly and jerked her head in Edwin's direction, making the ax fly toward him instead. Just as it was about to collide with Edwin's face, Annabelle turned around and closed her eyes, not wanting to see the brutal death of the evil sorcerer. All she heard was the ax embedding itself in flesh, and a body falling onto the floor. Annabelle then slowly opened her eyes and turned back around, still not looking at the body but at her brother and guardian instead. She faced them just in time to see the flames that were surrounding Gaius die down.

"Are you alright?" Annabelle asked them both, and Merlin nodded, steadying Gaius by his arm.

"Yes." Gaius breathed out. "Thank you, Annabelle." She just nodded in reply, unable to find her voice. Merlin's eyes then fell on Edwin's desk, and he quickly walked over to it, picking up one of the boxes that Annabelle recognized as the one she showed Edwin her magic on. "What are you doing?" Gaius asked, walking over to Merlin with Annabelle.

"Uther's ill; the same thing Morgana had." Merlin explained, opening the box. "Edwin said he used these to cure Morgana. Maybe we can too."

"Elanthia Beetles." Gaius recognized the beetles.

"They're magical?" Annabelle asked.

"Yes. They can be enchanted to enter the brain. Feed on it until they've devoured the person's very soul." Gaius explained, causing Merlin and Annabelle's eyes to widen. "We must go to him."

* * *

*5 minutes later, The King's Chambers*

"How do we get the beetle out before it kills him?" Annabelle asked, referring to King Uther whom the three of them watched as he lied on his bed, unconscious.

"It can only be magic." Gaius said, making Annabelle's eyes widen.

"I can't use magic on Uther; he'll kill us."

"We don't have a choice." Gaius pressed.

"Gaius!" Annabelle exclaimed quietly in disbelief.

"There are times when it is necessary. It is your right." Gaius spoke calmly.

"I don't know how." Annabelle protested with slight panic in her voice, causing Merlin to put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"If you don't... He's going to die." Gaius said quietly. Annabelle's eyes drifted to the King, and she sighed before walking over to sit on the edge of his bed. She then placed her hands on either sides of Uther's head, covering his ears. Her eyes then flashed gold, before the eyelids covered them.

"Bebiede þe arisan ealdu." Annabelle chanted as Merlin and Gaius watched her. "Áblinnen." A couple of seconds passed before creases began to form on her forehead, and the skin on her face reddened as if she was trying to contain a huge amount of power within herself.

"What's happening?" Merlin whispered to Gaius, worried for his sister, but all he received in reply was a shrug before going back to watching the young sorceress. Suddenly Annabelle's face relaxed, and she opened her eyes, slowly taking away her hands from the King's ears. Her right hand remained open as she stood up from the King's bed. She then showed her hand to her brother and guardian, and they both looked at her in amazement as they saw a dead beetle on it.

"Has anyone ever told you...?"Gaius trailed off in amazement, before looking up at Annabelle once again. "You're a genius."

"You certainly haven't." She said with a small grin, making them all laugh quietly. Merlin then walked over to his younger sister and wrapped his arms around her. "Well done." He whispered, making Annabelle smile.

* * *

*The Next Day, Annabelle's P.O.V., The Throne Room*

"I, my family, and my kingdom... Are deeply indebted to you." Uther said with a small smile as Gaius stood in front of him. "And in honor of this, I not only restate you as the Court Physician, but hence forth, you are a free man... Of Camelot." The King announced as he gave Gaius his certificate. We all clapped with smiles on our faces, glad that Gaius is back with us and is getting what he truly deserves. I looked over at Gwen who was standing next to me, and we shared a smile. The two of us and Merlin then walked over to stand by the Ladies and Lords of the Court, and we all shook Gaius's hand, congratulating him. As he went down the line to shake hands, my eyes fell on Arthur, whose eyes were already glued onto me. I smiled a small smile at him, and he returned it, before I quickly looked away so that I wouldn't be noticed by anyone. Although it was a little to late for that. Gwen already noticed, and looked at me with a teasing smirk. I rolled my eyes playfully, but the smile on my face did not falter. Everything turned out to be alright after all.

* * *

*1 hour later, The Lower Town*

"This is so ridiculous." Gaius said as we and Merlin walked out through the gates of the castle and into the Lower Town. "I didn't save Uther, you did." He said, bringing his gaze onto me.

"Oh no, I'm happy for someone else to take the credit." I said with a smile. I honestly wouldn't want to be the center of attention or be congratulated by many people just because I did the right thing. Someone else deserves this recognition. And this someone turns out to be Gaius.

"She's right. You were prepared to sacrifice your life to save us." Merlin said, causing Gaius to stop abruptly.

"Where did you get that from?" He asked, making me and my brother stop as well.

"I thought..." Merlin trailed off, confused. I was confused as well.

"No. I didn't do anything." Gaius shook his head. "Annabelle saved me, and she saved Uther." He was about to start walking, but then stopped and looked at me with a teasing look. "Maybe you are a genius, my dear girl." I chuckled softly.

"You think so?" I asked, not really believing that.

"Almost." Merlin said, making me poke him in the ribs teasingly. "One day." Now I slapped him in the back of his head. "Ow!"

"Stop teasing me." I scolded, but couldn't help the smile that formed on my face. Everything turned out alright after all.

* * *

** Well, what did you all think about this episode? I know there wasn't much of Arthur/Annabelle, and I'm sorry for that, but I wanted to show more of Gaius's relationship with Annabelle in this episode, as well as to show how much they care for each other. So, what did you all think? **


	46. Sophia

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! I would like to address two of them:**

**Guest \- You will find out why I made Annabelle's destiny and powers like that if you continue reading. And by the way, I found your comment at the end of your review quite rude, so I would appreciate if you tried to be a bit nicer in you reviews.**

**Awesomesaurs \- Thank you, I'm glad you like it. Don't worry, there is more of Annabelle/Arthur coming. By the way, you are my 100th review, and your comment truly made my day after hearing much negativity from other people, so thank you for that. **

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"My name is Aulfric. Heir to Tír-Mòr. This is my daughter, Sophia. " The man whom Arthur and Merlin saved in the woods introduced himself to the King. He was an older man, older than Uther but younger than Gaius, and was dressed in elegant and well-made blue attire. His daughter was a girl about a year or two younger than me, with a slightly childish yet beautiful face, and long golden hair. She was dressed in an elegant light golden dress and a rich golden cloak. Both of the nobles were carrying majestic staffs. They were decorated with large sky blue crystals on the top, surrounded with wood of golden hint.

"You're a long way from home." Uther noted after Sophia gave him a nod with a smile as a greeting. "What brings you to Camelot?"

"Our home was sacked by raiders." Aulfric gestured to Merlin and Arthur, who were standing on my right. According to what Merlin told me briefly, they saved Sophia and her father from bandits, which now turn out to be raiders. "We barely escaped, with lot-few possessions we could carry." Aulfric explained, but my eyes narrowed a little in suspicion as he stammered. From the corner of my eye I saw Arthur eyeing Sophia.

"These are dangerous times." Uther remarked, missing the hesitation is Aulfric's voice, making Aulfric sigh. "What will you do?"

"We travel west to Cailon, where we have family, and a hope of new life." Uther's expression softened as he eyes Sophia, who smiled gently.

"You may stay here a while. Break your journey." He offered, gesturing to one of the Lords of the Court, who stepped forward, ready to show Aulfric and Sophia the castle. Arthur's expression changed to one I couldn't quite make out, but he seemed pleased to say the least. Merlin also noticed it and looked at him with a faint smirk. I think our dear Prince has taken a liking to Sophia. My brain told me that it's a good thing, but I felt a small pang of hurt in my chest. "A noble family like yours is always welcome in Camelot." Uther said, which made me sigh inwardly. Only the nobles are welcome in Camelot. If it were peasants who were seeking shelter or food, he wouldn't be so kind. That is not how a good King should rule. I could see that Merlin held the same opinion. Well at least, according to the Great Dragon, we may yet help Arthur become a better king than his father.

Aulfric bowed to Uther gratefully, while Sophia curtsied to him with a thankful smile. They then followed the Lord to the exit of the throne room, but Sophia looked back at Arthur with a small, almost flirtatious, smile. Arthur caught her gaze, and looked her up and down, watching her leave.

* * *

*A Couple of Minutes Later, Third Person's P.O.V.*

"Make sure you put her in a decent room." Prince Arthur ordered, referring to Sophia, as he and Merlin entered his chambers.

"The one next door is empty." Merlin said as Arthur placed his sword on his bed.

"Well next door is fine." Arthur agreed as he took off his jacket. "Excellent in fact." Yes, Arthur is in love with Annabelle, but after Lancelot, he wasn't so sure that things between him and his servant's sister could ever work out. She was a beautiful girl, the most beautiful girl in the entire kingdom probably, but she was just a servant. He was the Prince of Camelot. There was no way that anything could ever happen between them. All he could really do was try to form a relationship with other girls; ones of his status. Arthur decided to push away the feelings he has for Annabelle, and try to forget about her. He would be seeing her often, but would acknowledge her only as a friend. Besides, it's not like she returned his feelings.

Arthur was snapped out of his thoughts as his eyes fell on Merlin, who was smirking.

"Shut up, Merlin."

"Wha-I didn't say anything!" The servant laughed.

"You didn't have to." Arthur shot back, putting on his red jacket. "I want to make it clear that my intentions towards Sophia are... Completely honorable." Merlin just nodded as he started cleaning up the dishes from the Prince's breakfast. Arthur's face then fell slightly as he realized that he might be making his liking in Sophia too obvious, and that he is thinking about himself more than he is about his guests. "Put her in the room on the other side of the castle. It's warmer." He said in a flat voice, fixing his jacket. "More comfortable." he mumbled.

"Of course." Merlin nodded. "She, uh, is very beautiful." He commented, and Arthur froze as he pictured Sophia in his mind again. But that image was quickly replaced with the one of Annabelle. Arthur's expression turned into a dreamy one as he thought about her shiny, dark brown hair and those sparkly, light blue eyes. Her smile always lit up the entire room. Whenever she directed it towards him, Arthur would get chills down his spine and would have to stop himself from smiling like an idiot.

"Yes, she is." He agreed in a dreamy tone, not even paying attention to anything or anyone around him. Merlin however, thought the Prince was talking about Sophia, and smirked slightly.

"And if your intentions are honorable..." He trailed off pointedly. Merlin never really noticed the glances Arthur gave Annabelle, or the ones she gave him. but after what Gwen told him and Lancelot, he started to pay more attention. And he did, in fact, notice the looks and smiles those two shared. And he did not like it. At all. He might be on better terms with Arthur now, he might even consider the Prince a friend, but Annabelle still is his little sister and he will never let any man have her. And now he got the chance to set Arthur up with another girl.

Merlin is not selfish. He is just worried. He is a caring and protective older brother, and will always worry about Annabelle. She is his responsibility. Well, maybe he is a little selfish, because he is also afraid that if Annabelle ever falls in love, she will leave him. But besides that, he is also trying to protect her. There is no way that the King would ever accept that Arthur was in love with a servant. If Merlin ever allowed Arthur and Annabelle to be together, Uther would be so furious that he would be very likely to execute her. And Merlin will never allow it.

"Oh. They are." Merlin was snapped out of his thought by Arthur's assurance as he took off his jacket once again. "Most definitely."

"Then what's the problem with her staying next door?" Merlin asked slyly. Arthur's face changed as realization dawned on him.

"There isn't one." He said simply, almost dumbly, before looking up at Merlin with a relaxed smile. "You've convinced me." He said, before putting on a brown jacket. "Put her in the room next to mine." Merlin smirked.

* * *

"The Next Day, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"You sure it's her?" Gwen asked skeptically as she, Morgana, and I stood in front of a window in Morgana's chambers, watching Arthur and Sophia ride out into the woods. Morgana told me and Gwen about the dreams she had. The night before Sophia and Aulfric came to Camelot, and one last night. She saw Arthur lying under water drowning, and a girl standing over him watching him die. That girl was Sophia.

"I could never forget that face." Morgana said, still staring out the window.

"You should speak to the King." Gwen said, and I scoffed.

"And tell him what? That she can see the future?" I asked incredulously. Was she out of her mind?! If Morgana told Uther about her visions, he would execute her. No matter if she is his Ward, or not.

"If she thinks Arthur's life is in danger-" Gwen argued, but I cut her off.

"You know how he'd react."

"She's his Ward. He wouldn't harm her." Gwen protested, not willing to believe that. But she is so naive. She wants to see the goodness in everything, the bright side to everything, and that is amazing. But the truth is, that sometimes there is none.

"He hates magic more than he cares for me." Morgana protested, looking back at our friend.

"That's not true." Gwen said, gently.

"Would you care to put it to the test?" Morgana challenged.

"But what else can you do?" Gwen asked, noticing that Morgana is most probably right, but not seeing another option.

"I'm going to have to try and stop her myself." Morgana replied determinedly, before looking back out the window. I sighed. She is so brave and determined, but it might not be the best idea. I was about to voice my thoughts, but then noticed how tired and stressed she is, and decided against it.


	47. A Seer in Camelot

**Thank you all for the reviews! I hope you like this chapter!**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Morgana decided to give me a break since I was getting little sleep for the past couple of nights, sleeping in the chambers next to hers and waking her up from nightmares, so I headed to Gaius's quarters. Once I stepped through the doorway, I was greeted with the sight of my older brother washing vegetables out of his hair, even though there were some pieces on his neck and upper back. I stopped in my tracks.

"What happened to you?" I asked, gesturing to the vegetables covering the upper half of Merlin's body, making him and Gaius turn to look at me.

"I spent the last three hours in the stocks." Merlin said, and I looked at him in confusion.

"Arthur put you in the stocks?"

"No." Now I was even more confused. "Uther did."

"Why?" I asked before sighing, eventually closing the door behind me. "What did you do this time?" I groaned.

"Nothing." Merlin protested defensively, making me raise an eyebrow at him. "Honestly, it wasn't me. It was Arthur's idea."

"It was Arthur's idea to have Uther put you in the stocks?" I asked, now more confused than ever, walking forward to sit on one of the benches by our dining table.

"Arthur wanted to skip patrol to spend the day with Sophia, and asked me to cover up for him. I couldn't say no. I mean, he obviously likes her." Merlin explained to me more clearly, making me nod in understanding.

"Oh." However, there was a small pang of jealousy and hurt in my heart, but I quickly shook the feeling away. Why would I be upset? Arthur is the Prince, and I am a maid. Besides, we don't have feelings for each other. We're just friends.

"But they've only just met." Gaius snapped me out of my thoughts, making Merlin look up at him from where he was, leaning down to get the vegetable out of his hair.

"I know. Yes. It must have been love at first sight." My brother said with a grin, making me look down briefly.

"Yes." Gaius replied while crushing a few herbs in a small bowl, deep in thought, before looking up with a small but worried look on his face. "I suppose it must be."

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V., Evening*

"You seem very fond of her." Lady Morgana commented, referring to Sophia, as she leaned against one of the chairs in Prince Arthur's chambers.

"You make it sound like a bad thing." Arthur said, not looking up from what he was doing.

"Not necessarily." Morgana said. "I have just never seen you fall under a woman's spell so quickly." She explained. And she was right. Arthur had never fallen under a spell of any women. He was always too arrogant. He would flirt with some of the Ladies of the Court when the King wasn't around, but that was it. Although Morgana did notice that even since Arthur met Annabelle and Merlin, he changed; for the better. And she could clearly see the feelings Arthur had for Annabelle, and no matter how many times Annabelle protested, the feeling Annabelle had for Arthur. Which made her even more worried; she didn't want her best friend to get hurt.

"If you're jealous Morgana, it's okay to admit it." Arthur said with a small smirk, taking off his scabbard before walking to the other side of his bed.

"Don't flatter yourself." Morgana scoffed as he took off his jacket.

"Come on. Wouldn't be the first time now, would it?" The Prince joked, taking off his boots.

"Arthur, I'm trying to protect you." Morgana exclaimed, walking over to stand next to him. "She isn't what she seems."

"Why? What makes you say that?" Arthur asked, walking over to the other side of the chambers to put away his sword.

"I just have a feeling." Morgana lied unconvincingly, not wanting to sound stupid if she told the truth. "It's difficult to describe." She struggled with the right words as she walked over to stand by Arthur's dining table. "I had a dream... A nightmare." She said seriously with a slightly quivering voice, only to look up as she heard Arthur laughing as he turned around to look at her.

"You really are very sweet, Morgana." Arthur commented with a small grin as he walked over to the table.

"Why are you laughing?" The Lady snapped, leaning on the table to look Arthur in the eye.

"You. Your feelings, bad dreams. You don't have to make that stuff up." Arthur said as he poured himself a drink before sitting in his chair. "You can tell me the truth. It's obvious you like me."

"Less and less by the second." Morgana hissed, annoyed beyond belief that he wasn't taking her seriously.

"Alright." Arthur retorted with a small smirk. "Whatever you say."

"You're intolerable." Morgana snapped, and turned around to walk away before stopping in her tracks as a sudden thought invaded her mind. "And what about Annabelle?" She asked, turning around to look at Arthur one more time. Arthur froze with his goblet halfway in his mouth, before quickly snapping out of it and taking a gulp of his wine. Once he finished, he looked at Morgana with a slightly weird look.

"What about her?" He asked nonchalantly, but she could see straight through his act.

"Oh, come on, Arthur. Don't lie to me. It's obvious you like her." She said with a small smile, walking back towards the Prince.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Stop lying, Arthur. To me, and to yourself." Morgana pressed. "You have feelings for Annabelle."

"No, the only feelings I have for her are those of a simple friendship. She's your maid for God's sake!" Morgana sighed, knowing that Arthur won't say the truth. "And the only woman I'm even slightly interested in is Sophia." Then why did it feel like he was lying to himself?

"Well then, let's hope I'm wrong about her." Morgana said shortly before walking out of the chambers, leaving Arthur to think about what she said. Does he truly have feelings for Annabelle, or is it just temporary?

* * *

*The Next Day, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I looked up from where I was on a bench in Gaius's quarters as the door opened and Merlin walked in, wearing only his shirt, covered in bits of vegetables from the top of his head to nearly his waist.

"Not again, Merlin, surely." Gaius said in slight amusement as he looked up from a book he was reading.

"You would think that the appeal of pelting the same person with fruit would wear off after a while but, oh no." Merlin said in slight annoyance, throwing his jacket next to me, before pouring a jug of water in a bowl to wash out the food from his hair.

"Morgana told me that Arthur wasn't at the Knighting Ceremony." I said, and Merlin looked up at me with a small grin.

"Yeah. He had to make the most of his time left with Sophia." He said, putting away the jug before leaning above the bowl and washing his hair, or at least trying.

"So you helped him." Gaius stated with a hint of disapproval in his voice.

"I'm his servant; I had to." Merlin said.

"You shouldn't have done that, Merlin." Gaius said once again, making me and my brother look at him in confusion. Of course, I wasn't fond of the idea of Arthur and Sophia being together, but what could I possible do about it? "I fear Sophia may not be all that she seems." Gaius continued.

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"What do you two know about Seers?" Gaius asked us, standing up.

"Not much. They're supposed to be able to see the future, like Prophets?" I guessed, the statement sounding more like a question as I struggled to remember what I had read about Seers in the book of magic Merlin and I received from Gaius.

"Except being an ability, those who have it are born this way. Some aren't even aware that what they are seeing is the future, and it comes to them in their dreams." Gaius explained briefly, walking around his desk to sit on another bench.

"What's this got to do with Sophia?" Merlin asked, confused, as realization flooded my mind.

"The night before she and Aulfric came to Camelot, Morgana had a dream." I said, catching both men's attention. I know I should keep Morgana's secrets to myself, but if there is any possibility that Arthur may be in danger, I have to tell the two people who can help me do something about it. "Sophia was in it." Gaius nodded, knowing what I was saying was true, seeing as Morgana visited him yesterday before she told me and Gwen about her dream. Merlin's eyes however, widened in shock.

"Before she arrived in Camelot?" He asked, completely dumbfounded, and I nodded.

"I've been watching Morgana since she was very young." Gaius said, and our attention turned to him. "And though I tried to persuade myself otherwise, I realized that some of the things she said she dreamed, came to pass." He continued as Merlin moved to sit next to him. "I kept it a secret from Uther, of course. The prophecies are too close to the work of magic."

"Do you think Morgana is a Seer?" I asked, fearing the answer.

"I don't think it." Gaius said, and I almost sighed in relief; until I heard the other three words: "I fear it." I took in a deep breath. "Morgana said she dreamed that Sophia killed Arthur." Gaius said, and I nodded silently. Morgana explained the dream to me in detail.

"Couldn't that just have been a dream?" Merlin asked, not willing to believe that this sweet girl was going to murder our friend and Prince. "Maybe the-the woman Morgana saw just looked like Sophia."

"That's what I hoped." Gaius replied. "But Aulfric caught me in Sophia's room. And in flash of anger... his eyes changed color."

"Who are they?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"It's not who they are that worries me." Gaius said as he brought his gaze on me. "It's what they want with Arthur."


	48. The Gates of Avalon

**Thank you all so much for your reviews! I am so happy you're enjoying this story so far, and I hope you like this chapter!**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Merlin and I decided to go to Arthur to warn him about Sophia, but stopped and quickly hid behind a pillar once we saw Aulfric and Sophia in front of Arthur's doors.

"He's ready." Sophia told her father. "Tomorrow he'll do what we need him to."

"Good, you have done well." Aulfric praised. "I must go to the elders." He then turned around and walked away, as Sophia went back into Arthur's chambers. Merlin and I shared a glance, before deciding to quietly follow Aulfric. As we passed, I looked at Arthur's chambers warily and with a hint of sadness, longing to go inside and check if everything's alright. But I knew that I had to find out what Aulfric and Sophia are up to in order to help him, so I stayed silent and followed Aulfric out of the castle alongside Merlin.

* * *

*30 minutes later*

We were now deep in the woods, following Aulfric as quietly as we could, hiding behind trees only a few feet behind so that we wouldn't loose him from our sight. After a few more minutes of walking, we reached a beautiful lake, which Aulfric stopped in front of as wind suddenly picked up. Merlin and I hid behind a tree, and peered from either sides.

"I seek and audience!... With the Sidhe elders!" Aulfric called out to the lake, making me and Merlin share a confused look. "Not gwithim sar! Dar Libran trim shah!" As he yelled out the last magical word, he raised his staff in the air, and the lake suddenly illuminated with bright blue light; the same shade as the crystal on Aulfric and Sophia's staffs. Merlin and I watched, amazed, as small balls of light rose above the water and started flying around in immense speed. I shared and awe-filled look with Merlin, before looking back at the lake and the small creatures that flew around. I couldn't make out any of them, so I decided to use the same spell I used when we first arrived in Camelot and saved Gaius's life. My eyes flashed gold, and suddenly everything around us slowed down; the time slowed down, and we could now see the creatures with ease. My lips parted slightly in awe as I saw them clearly; they resembled fairies that illuminated with bright blue light and levitated in the air with ease and grace. Their wings fluttered with a little tint of purple, and their ears and feet were pointy. They wore clothes that seemed to be made out of leaves.

Then, suddenly we could see hundreds of those fairies, or rather Sidhes, as they flew out from the bottom of the lake and lightened up the night sky with the amazing light. I couldn't help the small smile that grew on my lips as I watched, in an almost trance, the beauty before my eyes.

"I come before you to plead!..." My smile faltered as Aulfric called out. "For the passage back to Avalon!" Avalon? Is that what we are seeing? Is this lake the Avalon? "And a life of immortality!" Suddenly one of the Sidhes lowered itself down to be with Aulfric on eye level.

"Your punishment for killing another Sidhe is a mortal body and a mortal life." The Sidhe declared, and I closed my eyes briefly. So not only was Aulfric dangerous in Camelot, he also managed to be a killer in another world? "You will never be able to return to Avalon!"

"The crime was mine. Not my daughter's." Aulfric protested.

"The gates of Avalon remain closed to your daughter. Unless the soul of a mortal prince be offered up to them." The Sidhe said, and my eyes widened a little. A mortal prince. They couldn't be talking about...

"Thank you! An immortal life for my daughter is all that I desire. So I promise you the soul of the greatest prince of all, Arthur Pendragon!" Oh my God. As soon as those words left Aulfric's lips my breath hitched in my throat. This is worse than we thought. If a soul of an immortal prince is what they need for Sophia to be immortal, her father will stop at nothing to kill Arthur. The Sidhe grinned almost menacingly as Merlin and I shared a look filled with fear. The Sidhes than flew back into the lake, and the light turned down until it was no more. As Merlin and I watched in shock and fear, Aulfric laughed an evil laugh in triumph. Suddenly he stopped, and turned around as if he heard us. We only had a second to hide, so I quickly pressed my back against the bark of the tree we were hiding behind, whilst Merlin ducked down in front of me so that he wouldn't be seen from behind the tall grass.

* * *

*20 minutes later, Gaius's Head Quarters*

"Avalon." Gaius stated in shock after we quickly summarized to him what we saw. We arrived in Camelot in a shorter amount of time than when we arrived in Avalon, seeing as we were running this time. "What you two saw at the lake. It's Avalon, it must be."

"What's-"

"The land of eternal youth." Gaius quickly explained, cutting Merlin off, knowing what he was going to ask. "Mortals are only supposed to glimpse at the moment before death."

"Well, we've seen it and we're still here." I said, still breathing heavily after running back to the castle.

"Are you sure of it? What did it look like?" Gaius asked, fascinated, but I only shook my head.

"Does it matter? They're going to sacrifice Arthur!" I exclaimed, and Merlin nodded in agreement.

"And we don't even know who they are yet." He added.

"We do now." Gaius declared before walking over to his desk and looking down at the book that he must have been studying before we came back. "I found writing like this at the top of Aulfric's staff. It's Ogham; an ancient script." He explained briefly before sitting down with me and Merlin standing on either sides of him, looking at the book as well. "Abas ocus bithe. Duthectad bithlane." He read, before looking at us. "To hold life and death in your hands. The writing on his staff and what you two saw at the lake, I'm afraid I'm now certain." Gaius explained briefly before turning serious. "We're dealing with a Sidhe."

"Well, that doesn't sound like a good thing." I noticed.

"They're masters of enchantment." Gaius agreed.

"You think Arthur's been enchanted?" Merlin asked, and Gaius nodded without hesitation.

"Almost certainly. I'm afraid Morgana's dream is coming true." Well, that is definitely not a good thing.

* * *

*The Next Day*

Merlin and I were now standing in the throne room because Arthur requested an audience with the King.

"I requested this audience, Father, to discuss a matter of great importance." At his son's words, Uther looked up from the papers he was reading over. "It could not have escaped your attention that I and Lady Sophia Tír-Mòr have grown very close." Oh no, I don't like the sound of that.

"Not too close, I hope." Uther remarked, and I couldn't help but, for the first time, agree with him.

"We're in love." Arthur declared, making Uther share a look with Morgana. He looked amused, but she looked scared. Morgana was now even more worried about her dream. "Which is why I come before you today to ask for permission to marry." My eyes widened and my heart dropped as I heard these words come out of Arthur's mouth. I shared a worried look with Merlin, but looked at King, a little startled, as he started laughing

"I'm assuming you're joking." He choked out through his laugh.

"No." Arthur replied in a flat tone, making me realize that Gaius was right; Arthur was enchanted. "I'm going to marry her."

"You only met two days ago." Uther protested, amusement lacing his voice as Morgan's eyes filled with fear.

"We're in love." Arthur said slowly, and almost threateningly.

"In love." Uther repeated just as slowly, almost mockingly, still smiling and thinking it's all a joke. "We had no idea that you were such a romantic, had we, Morgana?" Uther asked his Ward in amusement, while she turned her hard stare onto Arthur.

"No." Morgana said coldly. "He's full of surprises."

"I'm going to marry her." Arthur said defiantly. "I don't care what either of you think about it."

"I thought you'd come to ask my permission." Uther noted, his tone slowly turning hard.

"I have a courtesy, nothing more." Arthur replied in a hard voice before grabbing Sophia's hand and proceeding to walk out of the throne room with Aulfric following.

"Guards! Door!" Uther ordered, almost tiredly as he put away his papers. The guards at the door reacted immediately and lowered their spears so that they would form a shape similar to an X, blocking the exit. Uther then stood up from his throne and placed his hands on his hips, looking at Arthur coldly. "Have your forgotten whose Court you're standing in?"

"You won't stop me." Arthur said. "If I want to marry her, I will."

"Arrest Sophia and Aulfric Tír-Mòr." Uther ordered, and the guards at the door immediately restrained the Sidhes.

"What are you doing?" Arthur demanded, but his father simply ignored him.

"And inform the executioner that his services will be required tomorrow morning." Uther continued sending out orders, and I even noticed Sophia glance at her father with a hint of fear.

"You can't do this." Arthur protested.

"Yes! I can! And unless you show me some respect, I will." Uther threatened. He and Arthur then stared at each other for a few seconds, before Arthur reluctantly bowed his head in submissiveness. "Release them." Uther ordered, and the guard restraining Sophia and Aulfric let go as Uther sat back down on his throne. Arthur then bowed, reluctantly, and left the throne room. However, I was still worried. If Sidhes are masters of enchantment, they will definitely find a way to force Arthur to do what they need him to.

This is isn't over yet.

* * *

*Very Early in the Morning of the Next Day, Gaius's Head Quarters*

"He's gone!" I whipped around as I heard Morgana's distressed voice, only to see her almost in tears. "Arthur's gone with her! She's taken him!"

"Slow down." Gaius ordered gently as I wrapped my arm around her comfortingly.

"I know you don't believe me, but I'm so sure it's going to happen. My dream's going to come true." Morgana continued.

"We do believe you." I assured, pulling her into a hug.

"I've got to tell Uther." She stressed, pulling out of my embrace but still letting me wrap my arm around her, needing comfort.

"You can't." Gaius protested.

"I've got to do something. If I don't, then Arthur will die." Morgana stammered in fear.

"You can't tell Uther about your dream." I said. "If he thinks you've got a Seer's power, he will charge you with witchcraft."

"But I don't have a choice." She protested. "I couldn't live with myself knowing I'd let him die."

"Wait." Gaius said gently. "We've known each other a long time. You trust me, don't you?"

"Yes, you know I do." Morgana nodded immediately.

"Do you trust me?" I asked, and she nodded without hesitation.

"Of course I do. You're my best friend."

"Then trust me now. Stay here with Gaius, and don't say a word to anyone about your dreams." I ordered as gently as I could, slowly pulling away.

"But Arthur-"

"I'll take care of it." I cut Morgana off, putting an assuring hand on her arm. After a few seconds of silence, she nodded in agreement, letting Gaius lead her to a bench, while I quickly rushed out of the quarters, wondering what went wrong. Merlin went to Arthur earlier and was supposed to persuade him not to trust Sophia. But if Arthur left with Sophia and Aulfric, then what happened to Merlin if he still hasn't returned?

After a few minutes of running, just as the sun started coming up, I reached the doors to Arthur's chambers and barged in, only to see Merlin on the ground, slumped against a wall, knocked out.

"Merlin!" I exclaimed in worry, rushing over to his side. "What happened to you?" I asked in rush as I took my hand in his.

"Aulfric." He mumbled, still dazed. "Where's Arthur? We have to go after him... What's that buzzing noise?" He asked as I helped him to his feet.

"Merlin, you can barely stand up." I protested as he stumbled.

"There's no time, we have to go." He rushed, but I stopped him by putting my hands on his shoulders.

"No, not we. I. You can't go anywhere. Not in this state! You're lucky to have even survived this!" I stressed.

"I'm fine."

"Has that buzzing stopped?" I asked, skeptically, and he quickly nodded.

"Yeah."

"Liar."

"I have to go, Anna."

"No, you don't. I can go by myself." I assured, but he looked at me like I was crazy.

"What, by yourself? No, no way!"

"Merlin, I'm not even sure you will make it all the way to the lake before collapsing!" I exclaimed, but my brother just gave me a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." He simply said, before proceeding to walk into a window.

"Merlin." I called, not even turning around.

"Huh?"

"This way." I pointed to the doors, before walking out of the chambers with him following closely behind.

"Just testing." I heard him say from behind me as we started running, praying to God that we weren't too late.

* * *

*15 minutes later*

Merlin and I ran through the woods as fast as we could, even though we could now hardly breathe.

"Ia bend dǽdon níwe. Cúðon gare íewe deahl sǽ áre. Sé áre. Ig bæþ deahl sǽ néah. Déaþ ór cwylþ óga him. An wén. Flíete á. Dómdæg. Déaþ ór cwylþ óga him. An wén. Flíete á. Dómdæg!" We stopped once we caught sight of Aulfric and heard his voice, but were still in a safe range and weren't able to be spotted. " Ia bend dǽdon níwe. Cúðon gare íewe deahl sǽ áre. Sé áre. Ig bæþ deahl sǽ néah. Déaþ ór cwylþ óga him. An wén. Flíete á. Dómdæg." Aulfric continued chanting as Merlin and I quickly looked around. Sophia was standing in the lake with the water level at her waist, with her hand stretched out and her palm positioned down so that it would face the water. Aulfric was standing in front of the lake, casting the spell, but Arthur was nowhere in sight. Unless... He was already underwater. I shared a slightly panicked look with Merlin, before my eyes fell on Sophia's staff that lied on the bank by Aulfric's feet.

"Onbregdan." I quickly and quietly said the spell, and the staff flew towards me, spinning in the air as it did, before falling into my hands. I then quickly took a hold of it, and aimed it at Aulfric. "Swelt goldbeorth!" Aulfric turned around as he heard my voice, but didn't have time to react as a powerful stay of bright blue light shot from the staff and hit Aulfric, making him yell in pain before he exploded into thousands of pieces.

"FATHER!" Sophia yelled. "No!" She attempted to run to us, but I quickly aimed the staff at her as Merlin started to take off his jacket and run towards the lake.

"Og kelis!"

"No!" Sophia exclaimed in fear as I said these words, before the power of the staff hit her square in the chest, making her explode just like Aulfric. Just as that happened, Merlin ran into the water.

"Arthur! Arthur! Arthur!" He yelled, looking around in the water as I ran towards the lake, stopping at the edge, gripping the staff tightly. Not seeing Arthur anywhere, Merlin waded in the river, while I itched with anxiety at the shore. After a few seconds Merlin's head emerged from underneath the surface, but no Arthur. I sighed in distress and started pacing as Merlin dove in once again. I can't do this. I can't loose Arthur. I just can't. I care for him too much. I'm not sure if it's love, but it's definitely something, and I won't be able to live with myself if something happens to him and I won't be able to do anything about it.

After a moment or two, I heard a loud splash and quickly looked over at the lake, only to see Merlin emerge from underneath the water, holding an unconscious Arthur tightly so that they wouldn't fall back underwater.

"Oh, thank God." I sighed quietly in relief as Merlin started swimming back towards the shore. I quickly put down the staff, and pulled up the hem of my dress above my ankles, before stepping into the lake until the water reached my knees. Merlin swam as fast as he could towards me, and once he was close enough, I helped him pull Arthur onto the shore.

* * *

*2 hours later*

Merlin and Gaius sat at one side of Arthur's bed, while I sat at the other, resting my chin on my hand and watching an unconscious Arthur worriedly. Suddenly, Arthur groaned, making me snap out of my worried thoughts. The three of us shared a look, before looking at Arthur. He was now out of his chain mail and in his night clothes instead, because right after we brought him back to Camelot, Gaius and Merlin quickly changed him as I ran to get some towels to dry his hair off so that he wouldn't get sick, seeing as it was windy outside and his head, and his ears, were wet.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, looking at Arthur in anticipation.

"What happened?" Arthur mumbled, opening his eyes slightly. "Where am I?" He sat up halfway and looked at us in confusion.

"You don't remember anything?" Merlin asked as the Prince groaned and clutched his head with one hand.

"Oh, my head." He groaned, before stopping suddenly and glancing at me. "There was a girl." He said, making me, Merlin, and Gaius share a look. "Sophia, she... I asked my father something about her, I asked him..." Arthur trialed off his mumbling as he struggled to remember before suddenly freezing as realization flooded over him. He then sat up quickly, making me jump slightly. "What was I thinking?!"

"Well, we did wonder..." I joked with a small smirk he looked at me with something I couldn't quite make out in his eyes, but it looked like... Regret? "Especially when you eloped with her last night." I finished, and Arthur's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"I did what?!" We nodded.

"Merlin and Annabelle had to bring you back to Camelot." Gaius informed, making Arthur look at him weirdly.

"I don't recall any of this."

"Must have been some blow." Gaius remarked, glancing at Merlin in the process, making me stifle a chuckle as Arthur froze.

"What. Blow?"

"Well, when Anna and I caught up with you, we couldn't persuade you to return. You were beyond reason. So we had to make you." Merlin explained quickly.

"One of you managed to knock me out?" Arthur asked slowly in disbelief, glancing between me and Merlin.

"Actually, it was Merlin who managed to knock you out." I corrected.

"Yup. With a log of wood." Merlin agreed, almost proud of himself.

"He only did it to bring you back safely." Gaius said. Suddenly Arthur sat further up and pointed his finger at Merlin, making all of us jump slightly.

"No one... Can know about this." He warned, before pointing his finger at Gaius. "Any of it." He then pointed his finger at me, though not as threateningly. "Is that understood?" The three of us shared a look before nodding, though we couldn't hide the small smirks on our faces, especially Merlin. Arthur then dropped his hand and looked down with wide eyes full of disbelief, before sighing and falling back onto his back, making me stifle yet another chuckle. Oh, I did miss him.

* * *

*1 hour later*

"When you failed to show up at patrol this morning, I feared you'd eloped with Sophia in a fit of passion." The King said as we stood in the throne room. Morgana sat in her throne, I stood behind her, and Merlin and Gaius stood off to the side as Uther confronted Arthur. Arthur nodded before looking at Merlin pointedly, making me roll my eyes as my brother stepped forward.

"Oh, I wish he had." He said, making the King look at him weirdly. "Because then I wouldn't be stood in front of you, feeling like an idiot. Again."

"This is becoming a near daily accountance for you." Uther remarked, walking forward to stand in front of Merlin.

"But there was a mistake. And I wouldn't say it was anyone's fault. Not-Not really, um..." My brother trailed off as Arthur gave him a look. "Y-You can say it was mine." He nodded.

"Can somebody tell me what happened?" Uther asked in slight irritation.

"Well-"

"Someone with a brain." He cut Merlin off, making me cover my mouth so that I could muffle my chuckle.

"After Sophia left, I wanted to take my mind off her so I went for a hunt." Arthur explained after smirking a little at his father's words.

"And killing things mends a broken heart?" Morgana asked skeptically, making everyone look at her.

"No, but it's good fun." Arthur said shortly, making me smile a little. "Merlin was mean to inform you that I wouldn't be back until later today..." He trailed off and gestured to Merlin.

"Have you some... Kind of a mental affliction?" Uther asked my brother, making me stifle a chuckle.

"Probably." Merlin agreed.

"I'm looking into it, Sire" Gaius said, making me cover my mouth once again, and turn away for a couple of seconds so that I wouldn't laugh out loud.

"Well I hope, for our sake, that you find a cure." Uther said. "Or we'll find ourselves with a food shortage on our hands." He said before walking out of the room.

"Food shortage." Merlin chuckled, thinking it was funny, until he realized what the King meant: stocks.

* * *

*Late in the Evening*

After Merlin spent the entire afternoon in the stocks, he came back to Gaius's quarters and washed himself up as I prepared dinner. I looked up from where I was, standing by our dining table as I served Gaius and Merlin soup, as I heard the door open.

"Morgana." Gaius greeted.

"I've... Had some troubled nights." Morgana explained as she walked further in.

"I've prepared another draught for you." Gaius nodded his head before turning around to look for the Sleeping Draught he was making for Morgana. "Have the dreams stopped?" Morgana shook her head as she sat down next to me, but tried to play it off like it was nothing, though I could see the fear in her eyes so I grabbed and squeezed her hand gently, making her give me a thankful smile.

"Arthur told me what actually happened." She said, before looking at Merlin. "You must have hit him around the head really hard."

"Yeah." Merlin nodded. "I feel really bad about that." He added, making me and Gaius share a look and roll our eyes. He definitely did not feel bad about that. That was the highlight of the week for him.

"Here you are." Gaius gave Morgana the draught. "Remember, every night just before you go to sleep."

"Thank you, Gaius." She thanked, before standing up.

"I'll come to your chambers before you go to sleep to make sure everything's alright." I said, and she gave me a small smile and a thankful look.

"Thank you." I nodded with a smile before embracing her in a hug, noticing how scared she was to go to sleep. Once we pulled away, she smiled at me, Gaius, and Merlin one last time before leaving.

"She must never find out the truth." Gaius said as soon as the door behind her closed.

"Why not?" I asked. She deserves to know. She's so scared.

"She had a premonition that helped save Arthur's life." Merlin agreed with me.

"And it could've cost her her own if Uther ever found out that his Ward has visions of the future. It must remain a secret." Gaius explained.

"Is she like us?" Merlin asked. "Can she use magic?" He asked as I sat down.

"No one's like you and Annabelle, Merlin." Gaius said.

"But she has the gift." I said more like a statement than a question, pretty sure that Morgana has some kind of magic in her.

"For her sake, I hope not." Gaius said.

After we finished our dinner, I quickly cleaned up and left to fulfill my promise to Morgana and visit her before she went to sleep. As I walked into her chambers, I saw Gwen preparing to leave, and Morgana already in her nightgown and in bed.

"Hey." I greeted quietly. Gwen turned around and a smile grew on her face before walking over to me and pulling me into a hug.

"It seems like I haven't seen you in ages." She muttered, making me chuckle quietly before pulling away.

"Actually it's been only two day, but I'm going back to work tomorrow so you won't be able to escape from me." I said, and she smiled before looking back at Morgana.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Gwen." Morgana strained a smile, and Gwen gave me a small worried look, but I gave her a reassuring one, so she walked out of Morgana's chambers to go home. After she was gone, I walked over to Morgana and sat on her bed, giving her a small smile.

"Did you take the sleeping draught Gaius gave you?" I asked, and she nodded.

"Yes, but it probably won't work." She said, and I gave her a pitiful look, before squeezing her hand gently in comfort.

"You don't know that." I said, and smiled a small smile. "Do you want me to stay in the chambers next to yours?"

"No, you've already troubled yourself too much because of me." Morgana said, but I only shook my head.

"Don't you dare say that. It's no trouble helping my best friend."

"Thank you, Anna. Really." I smiled and nodded before kissing her forehead in a sisterly manner and standing up.

"Do you need anything else?" I asked, preparing to leave.

"No, everything's fine." Morgana shook her head.

"Alright then. Goodnight." I smiled, and she smiled a small smile back.

"Goodnight, Anna." I smiled one more time, before walking out of her chambers.

As I turned around after closing the doors, I bumped into someone, making me gasp in surprise as I staggered backwards and someone caught my arms to put me back to balance.

"Arthur!" I exclaimed in surprise.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He smiled, making me shake my head with a smile.

"It's alright." I assured, before looking at him. "How's your head?" I asked with a small chuckle.

"It's fine, but I still can't believe that your brother, out of all people, managed to knock me out." He said, lowering his voice so that if anyone was near, they wouldn't know that Merlin managed to knock out the Prince of Camelot.

"Yes, well..." I trailed off with a chuckle. "We had to get you back to the castle somehow." He chuckled quietly before looking at me warmly.

"Thank you." I looked at him in slight confusion. "Thank you for everything. It seems you always save me in one way or another." I smiled a little.

"I'm not the only one. Merlin is always there."

"Yes, but there is no way I will ever admit that I needed his help." Arthur said, making me chuckle. "You however, I can and intend to always thank for things like this." I smiled at hims warmly.

"It's no problem, really." I assured. "I'm just glad you're safe. What would have we done without our brave Prince Arthur?" I joked, making us both chuckle.

"I also wanted to apologize. For being such a brat when I was under Sophia's spell."

"Well, you weren't that bad..." I started, but shook my head quickly. "Oh, who am I kidding? You were horrible!" I exclaimed teasingly, making him smile widely.

"But I'm not anymore." He paused before grimacing slightly as he reconsidered his words. "I think." I laughed as these words left Arthur's lips.

"No." I smiled. "You're not."

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

In that moment, Arthur realized that he was a fool for ever even trying to pay attention to other women. Even if he tried until his last breath, he would never be able to get his mind off of Annabelle. It doesn't matter that she is a servant. She is the most beautiful woman in Camelot, in the Five Kingdoms even, but not only on the outside; she has a beautiful heart. And Arthur Pendragon is definitely in love with her.

* * *

**So, what did you all think about this episode? A bit of hurt Annabelle, enchanted Arthur, heroic Merlin, terrified Morgana, and Arthur/Annabelle romance. Also, what do you all think about Annabelle's relationship with Morgana? Personally, I love writing about their sisterly bond, which was shown even more in this episode, and I would like to hear your thoughts. What did you think? **


	49. Big Day

**Thank you all for your amazing reviews, and I really hope you like this chapter! I'm admittedly nervous, because this is an original chapter. Now, for the critics out there, I decided to stick to a few ideas of my own that are not exactly historically accurate, but I felt as though they would fit this story, so please don't give too much negativity. I hope you like it!**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"For the millionth time, no!" I exclaimed, looking over to Gwen for help, but only receiving a shake of head in return.

"Why not?" Morgana whined, making me roll my eyes. "Anna!" She exclaimed. "It's your birthday! We have to celebrate it!" I sighed and shook my head, eventually turning away from the wardrobe, where I was fixing Morgana's nightgowns.

"And how exactly are you planning to celebrate it?" I asked sarcastically. "Because I honestly doubt that Uther would be generous enough to arrange a feast for a simple servant's birthday."

Morgana just sighed, and shook her head, making me think that she decided to let the ridiculous idea of celebrating the anniversary of my birth go. However, as I turned back around, I could see her and Gwen sharing a look from the corner of my eye. Oh, no. What are they planning?

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"Merlin, is there a particular reason for why you're as jumpy as a scared child in the middle of a storm?" Prince Arthur asked in annoyance after his servant dropped his armor for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last five minutes.

"Sorry, Sire." Merlin apologized after picking up the gauntlet. "I'm just wondering what I could do for Annabelle today, since we hardly have a chance to spend any time together these days." He wasn't lying. They did spend a lot of time together, but they never had a chance to relax like normal siblings, seeing as they always had to worry about saving either Arthur or Camelot. Or both.

"Annabelle?" Arthur asked, and Merlin turned to look at him.

"Today is her 18th birthday. We would always celebrated it in one way or another back at home, but like I said, we hardly get a chance to do anything together now." He explained.

"Well, it's her 18th birthday. You have to do something." Arthur said, standing up from where he was sitting at his desk, and Merlin raised his eyebrows at the Prince. "What? Don't look at me like that. The 18th anniversary of birth is the most important day in a woman's life. That means she is becoming an adult."

"And how would you know all that?"

"Merlin, I think you're forgetting that a certain woman named Morgana resides in this castle." Arthur said sarcastically. "Her 18th birthday was 2 years ago, and the celebration was the biggest one in Camelot."

"Yes, well my sister isn't a Lady or a royal, so we can't do anything like that." Merlin shot back, and walked over to Arthur's bed in order to fix the sheets that were still wrinkled from Arthur's tossing in the night. Just as Arthur opened his mouth to speak, the doors to his chambers burst open, and Lady Morgana barged in.

"I need your help." She stated urgently, walking up to the Pendragon.

"Good morning to you too." Arthur rolled his eyes, looking down at her. "What is it?"

"I need you to tell Uther that there were reports of a beast deep in the woods, and that he has to come with you to check for any tracks."

"Why?"

"I need him distracted and out of the castle for the entire day. It would be best if he came back no earlier than tomorrow noon." Morgana said.

"I'll ask once again. Why?" Arthur asked, and the Lady sighed.

"It's Anna's 18th birthday today, and-"

"Yes, I know."

"How?" Morgana's eyebrows furrowed, and Merlin raised his hand. "Oh, right. Either way, can you do it?"

"Are you joking?" Arthur looked at her weirdly. "I would have to bribe at least 10 patrol guards to lie to the King! Do you know what he would do to them if he found out?"

"Arthur, please! Why don't you just lie to him and bribe the guards so that they wouldn't say anything? They wouldn't be the ones lying. They would just keep their mouths shut." Morgana pleaded, wanting to do something special for the girl who has been like a sister to her.

"Can I just ask..." Merlin trailed off as he looked at the two of them. "Why do you want the King out of Camelot?"

"I want to arrange a feast for Annabelle." Morgana replied, and Merlin nearly dropped the goblet he picked up from the nightstand.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious." Morgana said. "Gwen and I already spoke with the headmistress of the Camelot servants. She agreed to help us, so as soon as Uther rides out, they can start decorating the Grand Hall, while Gwen and I distract Anna." Just as she finished explaining the plan, Guinevere rushed in and curtsied to Arthur before looking at Morgana, but not before smiling at Merlin.

"I sent Anna to the Lower Town's market, so she won't be back for at least two hours, seeing as she said she wanted to take a walk." She quickly explained, and Morgana smiled, before looking at Arthur.

"So?" Arthur looked at the two excited girls, before looking at his servant, who also had a glint of hope in his eyes, before sighing.

"Alright, alright. I'll do it." He said, making Morgana and Gwen grin. "But!" He pointed his finger at Morgana. "You're helping. We have to go for breakfast with my father right now, so you will help me make the story convincing." With that, he grabbed the Lady's hand and dragged her out of his chambers, heading towards the dining chambers, where King Uther was already waiting.

The guards at the doors bowed to the young royal and Lady, and opened the doors for them.

"Father." Arthur greeted, bowing his head slightly before walking over to his seat on the King's right, while Morgana walked over to hers on Uther's left.

"Arthur. Morgana." The King greeted with a small smile as the two sat down. "I was beginning to think that I would have to send someone to make sure you didn't get lost in the castle."

"I'm sorry, but Merlin couldn't find my boots. Turns out he left them in his room." Arthur said, actually telling the truth.

"I'm beginning to think there is a problem with your servant's brain." Uther said, eyeing Merlin as he walked into the room.

"I've been thinking that for a long time already." Arthur replied smirking as Merlin shook his head.

"Clotpole." He muttered, turning around to grab the jug of wine.

"Where's your other maid?" Uther asked Morgana, seeing only Guinevere, who also just arrived.

"She went to the market in the Lower Town to buy fabric for my new gown." Morgana replied, also telling the truth, and Uther nodded.

"Father, after Morgana came to my chambers, one of the patrol guards came to me and gave me reports of the woods by Camelot's Northern Borders." Arthur started his part in the plan.

"What news?" The King asked, and Arthur shared a look with Morgana before answering.

"Apparently, a beast has been sighted." That sparked Uther's interest.

"What kind of beast?"

"It's hard to say." Arthur replied. "No one has actually seen the whole body. Peasants from the outlying villages could only hear the growls and hisses, as well as see claw marks on the barks of the trees in the woods."

"Gather a patrol and ride out as soon as you can." Uther ordered, and Morgana glanced at Arthur for a second.

"Actually, My Lord, Arthur was wondering if this time you could be the one to ride out." She said, and Uther's brows furrowed.

"Why is that?"

"His ribs were hurt yesterday in training." She lied, and Uther turned to look at his son.

"Why haven't you said anything?" He asked, and Arthur opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Morgana.

"Isn't it obvious? He's too proud to admit that he can't go on patrol because of a simple injury." She said with a smirk, making Arthur narrow his eyes at her.

"Arthur." Uther nearly groaned, giving his son a disapproving look.

"I'm sorry, Father." Arthur apologized, giving Morgana a look that said he will kill her for this, but she only smirked, enjoying the course of this conversation very much. Merlin was enjoying it as well.

"Guard!" The King called, and the doors opened, revealing one of the guards.

"My Lord?" He bowed.

"Gather a patrol of 10 soldiers. We ride out to the Northern Borders in an hour." Uther ordered, and the guard nodded before bowing and leaving as the King looked at his son. "You will stay in the castle, while I go and investigate."

"How long will you be gone?" Morgana asked, trying to stop the smile from making its way on her lips.

"If everything goes well, I should be back before sundown tomorrow." Uther replied, and as he continued eating, Morgana and Arthur shared a secret smile with Merlin and Guinevere. Everything will go according to the plan.

*1 Hour Later*

"Remember, not a word." Arthur warned the guards who have been gathered for the patrol, and they all nodded. To Arthur's surprise, they didn't even have to be bribed. They have all met Annabelle before, as they were all hurt in one way or another, and she helped them get back to health under Gaius's supervision, and they thought she was an incredible and lovely woman. They were pleased to help with the surprise for her, even if that meant lying to their King.

"Alright, it's time." Uther said as he walked over to them. They all bowed to the King, before following him out into the courtyard, while Arthur made sure they turned the corner and couldn't see him anymore, before running to Morgana, who was waiting by his chambers. As soon as he appeared in her line of sight, she ran towards the tower to make sure that the King and the patrol rode out, while Arthur ran to Gaius's chambers, where Merlin and Guinevere were waiting. Gaius was also let in on the plan, and he agreed to help by asking Lord Geoffrey to tell him where the flowers that were used especially as decorations for a woman's 18th birthday were found, seeing as the two men have been friends for many years. Once Lord Geoffrey told them where to find those flowers exactly, Merlin grabbed his bag and rushed out of the castle, wanting to gather all the flowers needed before sundown, which is the time they established for the feast to start. After about ten minutes, Lady Morgana ran into Gaius's headquarters.

"They left through the Southern Gate." She informed, and Gwen immediately rushed out to find the headmistress of the Camelot servants and tell her to get started with the decorating, while Morgana looked at Arthur. "I need you to gather at least twenty guards."

"Why?" Arthur asked, making Morgana sigh in irritation.

"Can't you do something just because I'm asking you to for once?" She asked, exasperated, and Arthur shook his head with a smirk, absolutely loving when Morgana was irritated.

"No." He answered, making Morgana groan.

"The servants will need help carrying in the barrels with wine which will be arriving within the next 15 minutes." She explained, and Arthur nodded in understanding.

"I'll ask for volunteers." He said, and left the room. Morgana left not a minute after, heading to the Lower Town where she knew Annabelle still would be, intending to distract her friend and keep her away from the castle until an hour before sundown, when she will take her to her chambers and get her ready for the celebrations without her knowing the real reason. Gaius was now the only one left in his quarters and he sighed with a small smile as he thought about the whole castle buzzing with work in order to let his ward have a real 18th anniversary of birth. She has not only impacted his life, but also everyone else's. They were ready to lie to the King in order to make her happy. Gaius couldn't help but feel proud that Annabelle has made such a difference in Camelot. He also didn't miss the look Arthur gave her, and was already wondering if the Great Dragon spoke the truth and it is possible that she will one day become the Queen of Camelot.

* * *

*8 Hours Later, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Why do I have a feeling that there is something you're not telling me?" I asked as Morgana dragged me into her chambers.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She replied innocently as she forced me to sit down in her chair in front of the mirror.

"Yeah, right." I said sarcastically, but let the subject go, knowing that I will never find out the truth until she will want me to.

"Oh, stop it." Morgana said, grabbing the hairbrush. "And be quiet while I make you look even more beautiful than you usually do." I sighed, but shut my mouth and allowed her to un-braid my hair and brush it.

*1 Hour Later*

"Morgana, I'm..." I trailed off as I gaped at my reflection. That couldn't be me. Morgana did my hair fabulously; she first twisted the front strands and pinned it back, before braiding my hair down my back loosely. She then slid in many beautiful small white flowers, which, I must admit, contrasted quite beautifully with my dark hair, and added makeup to amplify the look.

"I believe the word you're looking for is 'gorgeous'." She smirked, and I just looked at her with my mouth agape.

"I don't know how you did it," I stammered. "But I love you for it." She laughed and opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by a knock on the door.

"Who is it?!" Morgana called, and we heard a muffled voice from the other side of the door.

"It's Gwen."

"Come in!" The doors opened and Gwen stepped in, closing the doors behind her. She turned around and was obviously going to say something, but stopped once her eyes fell on me and her jaw dropped. "Doesn't she look amazing?" Morgana smirked.

"'Amazing'?" Gwen scoffed. "'Amazing' doesn't even begin to describe how beautiful she looks!" She exclaimed, and Morgana chuckled before looking at me pointedly.

"I told you." I rolled my eyes, but smiled all the same.

"I've got the dress." Gwen said, and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Why are you suddenly so interested in making me look beautiful?" I asked, and they just shared a smile.

"We'll tell you when the time comes. Now come over here." Gwen ordered, and I gave her a suspicious look but obeyed anyways. She put the basket I didn't even know she was holding on the bed, and threw the cloth that was covering it aside, before pulling out an absolutely gorgeous dress. It was double-layered; the first layer was pure white and fitted with long sleeves, silver embroidery around the wrists, while the top layer was cream colored and and loose, and only reached down to the knees, the sleeves only down to the elbows. The neckline, hem, and bottom of the top layer sleeves was decorated with a silver embroidery, and there was also a beautiful, thin, stringy, silver belt around the waist.

"Are you kidding me?" I exclaimed, and they both looked at me oddly. "I can't wear a dress that is meant for a princess!"

"Anna." Morgana grabbed my shoulders. "It's your 18th birthday. The most important birthday in your life. You _are_ a princess tonight. Now, put it on."

* * *

*30 Minutes Later, Third Person's P.O.V.* 

The doors to the Grand Hall opened, and Annabelle stepped in. She looked so beautiful that no one could believe she was real; especially Arthur. Jaws dropped, eyes widened, and some people even dropped their goblets. Eventually, after smirking at Arthur's expression, Morgana stepped forward.

"Everyone, let's applaud the woman we have gathered here for, Ms. Annabelle!" She called, which seemed to snap everyone out of their shock. While everyone clapped, Annabelle looked around in astonishment, seeing the room decorated with the beautiful flowers. Eventually, she snapped out of her amazement and walked over to a group of people, who immediately started giving her their best wishes.

After all the wishes have been given and most of the food has been eaten, Annabelle walked over to Morgana and Gwen.

"I honestly don't know how to thank you." She said sincerely, and they smiled softly.

"It wasn't just us." Gwen said, and her gaze fluttered to Arthur, who was speaking with Lord Geoffrey.

"Are you serious?" Annabelle asked, and Morgana smiled.

"Dead serious."

"Happy birthday, Anna." Merlin's voice sounded in Annabelle's ears as arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Thanks, Merlin." Suddenly, the musicians started playing her favorite music, and Annabelle looked at her two friends. "How did you know?" She asked, and they pointed at Merlin.

"Come on." Morgana laughed and grabbed Annabelle and Gwen's hands, pulling them to the middle of the room and forcing them to dance, which didn't take too long, seeing as they were all relaxed and happy to enjoy themselves.

Arthur watched the girls, particularly Annabelle, with a small smile. He decided to give her his gift after everyone calmed down slightly and he could pull her away so that the could be on their own. That chance came faster than he expected. After a few minutes, he saw Guinevere and Morgana walking away, while Annabelle made her way out onto the balcony. Alone. Arthur saw his chance, and excused himself, before following her.

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Enjoying the view?" A voice came from behind me, making me gasp as I whirled around, only to relax once I saw it was Arthur. "Sorry." He smiled, walking over to stand next to me. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's alright." I smiled. "Yes, actually I am enjoying the view. I always thought Camelot looks beautiful at night.

"I wanted to wait until Morgana and Guinevere stopped jumping around you to give you my present." He smiled, and I chuckled before looking at him with a small smile.

"You didn't have to get me anything." I said, and Arthur smiled while shrugging.

"I wanted to." He said, before pulling out a beautiful yet simple necklace, making me gasp.

"Arthur." I breathed out, touching the necklace gently. "It's beautiful."

"May I?" He asked with a smile, and I nodded, turning around so that my back was turned in his direction and pulled my braid over my shoulder, allowing him to place the necklace around my neck gently. "Happy birthday, Anna."

* * *

**So, what did you all think? I wanted to write a chapter about Annabelle's birthday just to show how important she has become to Morgana, Gwen, and Arthur in the time she spent in Camelot, and to the other people whom she's helped as Gaius's helper and a friend to the people of Camelot. So, what did you all think? Please be polite in your reviews if you have some criticism, because this is literally my first ever original chapter. So, please leave a review! I'd like to know if you like this chapter, and if you'd like me to write some more original chapters in between the episodes.**


	50. The Druid Boy

**Thank you all so much for your reviews! I would like to address one in particular:**

**LarissaValenti2613**** \- Thank you so much for your kind and detailed review. It really put a smile on my face. Now, referring to the original chapters, if others would like some as well, I may put a few here and there, but there won't be many. But thank you! I really appreciate you taking your time to review!**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I whipped around as an ear-piercing scream reached my ears. I shared a look with Merlin before turning around to walk in the opposite direction of where we were heading in the first place, with him following me closely. The scream sounded like a scream of a child, and I had to find out what was going on.

_Help!_ I suddenly heard, making me freeze in my tracks. I definitely heard a voice of a young boy, but there was no one in sight except for Merlin who was walking next to me, looking as confused as I was. We looked around the corridor, but didn't see anyone. We then decided to head out of the castle and to the courtyard. _Help me!_ Merlin and I once again froze at the top of the stairs that led down to the courtyard, looking around for the source of voice. But, once again, there was no one in sight. _Please._ I touched my temple with my hand, trying to ease the pain that I got from the voice inside my head. Merlin and I scanned the courtyard once again, slowly walking down the stairs. Once we reached the bottom, my eyes fell on a young boy around the age of 8 or 9, with black hair and large bright blue-grayish eyes, huddled against one of the wooden chests that held food for the market in the Lower Town. He wore peasant clothes; a simple white shirt and brown pants and brown boots. He also wore a dark turquoise cloak, with its hood covering his head and shading his face. The boy was also clutching his left arm, as if in pain. _Please._ I heard the voice once again as the boy's eyes fell on me and Merlin. I shared a look with my brother. Was this boy communicating telepathically with us? _You have to help me._ Now I am pretty sure that the boy was 'talking' to us. But my eyes still widened in shock at the fact that his lips weren't even moving, yet I could hear him clearly. At the guess based on Merlin's face, I could tell he was just as shocked. _Help me_. The voice, or rather the boy's voice, whimpered. I then saw the Camelot guards running into the courtyard, looking all over for someone. I then realized that they are probably looking for the boy.

"You." One of the guards stopped one of the peasants in the courtyard. "Have you seen a boy running through here?" Now I am 100% sure that they are looking for that boy. However, I still shared a skeptical look with Merlin. If the guards are looking so intensely for the boy, then that means they must have a reason.

_They're searching for me._ My eyes snapped to the young boy once again as he stared at me and my brother pleadingly.

_Why are they after you?_ Merlin decided to try and ask the boy a question using his mind, and it seems it worked, seeing as I could hear it, and so could the boy from the looks of it. The boys however, just closed his eyes briefly as if in pain, before looking at me in particular.

_They're going to kill me._ I sighed and looked at Merlin pleadingly. We can't just leave this child to die!

"Guards! In here!" One of the guards called for the rest of the guard, and they all ran off in the opposite direction of where the boy was hiding. Suddenly Merlin grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the servants' entrance that is well hidden in the shadows. Merlin then turned to look at me and gave me a silent signal to pull the boy in here while he ran further in so that we wouldn't be noticed. I looked at the guards, only to see them run off, so I then turned to the boy.

_This way._ I jerked my head towards the entrance I was standing in front of. _Run. Run!_ The boy seemed to trust me, because he got up from the ground, still clutching his arm in pain, before running to me as fast as he could.

"Hey! Over here!" Unfortunately, one of the guards noticed him, and unsheathed his sword before running after the boy. I quickly took a few steps back, hiding in the shadows so that the guards wouldn't see my face, seeing as I was known by everyone, being the Lady Morgana's maid, and I didn't quite feel like loosing my head just yet. "Alert the rest of the guard!" The boy reached me just in time, and I quickly grabbed his right hand, while Merlin grabbed mine, and pulled him up a set of stairs. We wanted to run to Gaius, but stopped immediately once we heard the guards' voices from that direction, so I quickly pulled the boy and my brother up the set of stairs behind us, which led to my best friend's chambers. I then quickly threw the doors open and barged in, pulling Merlin and the boy with me, as Merlin shut the door behind us.

"Have you two forgotten how to knock?!" Morgana exclaimed, slightly irritated, but I just pulled the boy to my side.

"Sorry, we didn't really have time." I apologized quickly as hers and Gwen's eyes fell on the boy, who was clutching my hand tightly. "The guards are after him. We didn't know where to go."

"My Lady!" A guard called, knocking loudly on the doors, making me gasp quietly in panic. However, Morgana didn't seem to pay attention as her eyes fell on the boy. "My Lady!" The knocking grew louder, and I looked at Morgana pleadingly. She then snapped out of her trance, and looked around quickly before gesturing for us to hide behind the screen and a curtain.

"In there." I quickly placed the boy's hand in Merlin's, and gestured for them to hide as I tried to quickly compose myself so that I wouldn't look like I just ran through the castle. Morgana then went to open the door, but stopped for a second to check if my brother and the boy were hidden. Merlin quickly pulled the curtain, covering himself and the boy, as Morgana opened the door, revealing a couple of Camelot's guards.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, My Lady." One of the guards bowed his head. "We're searching for a young Druid boy; we believe he came this way."

"I haven't seen anyone." Morgana lied easily. "It's just me and my maids." She said, gesturing to me and Gwen in the process.

"Please keep the door locked until we find him."

"Of course." Morgana agreed quickly. "Thank you." The guards then quickly left, and as soon as Morgana closed the door, we ran over to where Merlin and the Druid boy were hiding, only to see the boy in Merlin's arms, sweaty, pale, and unconscious. My brother took his hand off of the boy's arm, only to reveal it covered in blood as there was a deep gash on it. So that's why he screamed; one of the guards must have slashed him with their sword. My blood boiled. How can anyone be so cruel to harm a child?!

*1 hour later*

Morgana, Merlin and I now stood by an open window in Morgana's chambers, watching the Druid boy's guardian stand on small wooden podium, in front of a chopping block, with his hands chained behind his back. Uther and Arthur then appeared on the balcony on our right.

"People of Camelot." Uther spoke. "The man before you is guilty of using enchantments and magic. Under our law, the sentence for this crime is death. We're still searching for his accomplice. Anyone found of harboring the boy is guilty of conspiracy, and will be executed as a traitor." Morgana, Merlin, and I all shared a look, before glancing at the Druid boy who way lying on top of a few blankets with his head resting on a pillow. We took off his cloak and shirt, revealing the Druid mark on his chest. He was now awake, breathing heavily as he listened to the King. "Let this serve as a warning to your people." Uther spoke, this time to the Druid man.

"You let your fear of magic, turn to hate" The Druid spoke up with confidence. "I pity you."

"I can't watch this." Morgana said to us quietly, before walking over to sit down on a chair by her dining table and covering her face with her hands. I looked at her worriedly, and then glanced at the Druid boy, only to see him trembling with fear. I then quickly walked over to where he was and lied down next to him, wrapping my arms around him comfortingly. He looked up at me with fear in his eyes, so I stroked his hair soothingly, trying got calm him down a little bit. After a few seconds of silence I heard metal cut through flesh, and saw Merlin look away quickly, before also closing my eyes.

_NO!_ My eyes snapped open, as did Merlin's, as we heard the boy's scream in our heads. Morgana didn't seem to hear anything, but that quickly changed as her mirror, which was on the wall be the window, shattered into pieces. Morgana looked at it in fear, before glancing at the boy in my arms, as I covered his and my heads with one of my arms so that the pieces of glass wouldn't cut us. As soon as the pieces stopped falling out of the mirror frame, I looked at the boy with wide eyes. He surely possesses powerful magic.


	51. In Hiding

**Thank you all so much for your reviews! I would like to address one in particular:**

**dream lighting**** \- I already have plans for Mordred, but I'm not gong to make any changes involving his character until season 5. So, no, I am not planning on having Anna adopt him or anything like that. But they will have a connection, which you will start to see in this chapter.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I played with my soup, not having any appetite to eat after what I saw happen to that Druid, Cerdan. Merlin and I were now in Gaius's head quarters, meant to eat our lunch. I was reluctant to leave the Druid boy's side, but we don't want to arise any suspicion and have to act normal, so we had to go for lunch. Besides, I trusted Morgana with the boy, knowing that she and Gwen will take care of him as best as they can. But I still didn't want to leave him. I feel a connection to him. I don't know why, but I do.

"Do you know much about the Druids?" Merlin asked Gaius, snapping me out of my confusing thoughts.

"Very little." Gaius replied, not looking up from the papers he was filling out. "They're very secretive people. Especially now when they're being hunted by Uther." I looked down, not willing to believe that if Uther found the boy in Morgana's chambers, he would execute him. The King may be cruel, but is it possible for someone to be heartless enough to kill a child? "Merlin. Annabelle." Gaius suddenly pointed his finger at us, looking at us seriously. "Please tell me you two haven't got yourselves mixed up in this."

"Us? No. Mixed up in what?" Merlin lied terribly, making me sigh inwardly. We won't get away with this.

"For someone with such a big secret, you are a terrible liar, my boy." Gaius said, making me nod a little. It's true. Merlin is a terrible liar. He never even once succeeded in lying to me.

"Well, we haven't done anything." Merlin stated, putting down his spoon. Gaius sighed, and then looked at me.

"Annabelle." He said seriously, begging me silently to tell the truth. I sighed, putting my spoon down. We won't get away with this either way, so I might as well tell Gaius the truth. Or at least a part of it.

"We heard the boy calling out." I admitted. "I mean, he was absolutely nowhere to be seen, but we could hear him as clearly as if he was standing right next to us. It was like he was inside our minds." I explained.

"It's an ability. The Druids look for children with such gifts to serve as apprentices." Gaius explained briefly, before looking at us seriously. "While they're searching for this boy, you two must be especially careful. Otherwise it will be your heads on the chopping blocks." He warned, and Merlin smiled a little.

"Well, _I'm_ always careful." He said, looking at me pointedly, making me roll my eyes, before looking back at Gaius. "You know me."

"Yes, Merlin." Gaius agreed. "Unfortunately, I do." He said, making me chuckle despite my bad mood. And that's what I love about Gaius. He can always make me smile. "When it comes to choosing between you and Anna, your sister is definitely more careful in her decisions than you, which is why I always have to look out for _your_ life." Gaius said, making Merlin roll his eyes slightly.

*40 minutes later*

As soon as I finished my lunch, I made an excuse of having to help Morgana with something, which technically wasn't a lie, before nearly running to her chambers.

"How is he?" I asked as soon as I entered.

"He's sleeping." My best friend replied after she closed the door behind me. "He's very pale." She added as she lead me to the boy. "I worry he may have lost a lot of blood." We then stopped by the curtain that shielded the boy, and looked down at him. Morgana was right. He was pale, way too pale, and was breathing heavily as he slept. There were drops of sweat on his forehead and chest.

"Has he said anything?" I asked, and Morgana shook her head, not picking up her gaze from the boy.

"Nothing." She answered, before looking at me. "He won't even tell me his name."

"Oh, by the way." I started, making her look at me once again, seeing as she looked at the boy as soon as she finished her sentence. "I didn't have time to thank you."

"For what?"

"Well, you saved the boy's life, for one." I started, before smiling a little. "And besides that, you also saved mine and Merlin's lives. If we were caught trying to help that boy, Uther would execute us."

"I wouldn't let my best friend and her brother get killed." Morgana said, making me smile thankfully. "Nor would I see an innocent child executed." I smiled. "What harm has he ever done anyone?" She asked no one in particular, looking down at the boy once again.

"Well, Uther believes he has magic, and that is a good enough reason for him." I replied.

"Uther's wrong." Morgana said with confidence in her voice.

"Do you really believe that?" I asked, and Morgana looked deep in thought.

"What if... What if magic isn't something you choose?" She wondered. "What if it chooses you?" I smiled a little. She practically summarized in one sentence the entire crazy situation my brother and I got ourselves in the first day we came to Camelot. "Why are you and Merlin helping him?" I looked up, hearing the question.

"I would rather die than let an innocent person get killed." I replied truthfully. "Especially an innocent child." Morgana smiled at me, before both of our gazes fell to the boy. "What do you think we should do?" I asked. "I mean, he can't stay here for the rest of his life. It's too dangerous for him to stay in here another hour."

"We have to find a way to get him back to his people." Morgana replied, before we both looked down at the boy once again.

*Evening*

After Gwen and I helped her get ready, Morgana left to have dinner with Uther, while Merlin came to her chambers to stay with me and Gwen instead.

"How is he?" My brother asked as the boy stirred in my arms from a bad dream before going back to his light yet heavy slumber.

"He's been sleeping ever since we left for lunch." I replied quietly so that I wouldn't wake the Druid from the sleep he obviously needed.

"Morgana and I did everything we could, but he lost too much blood." Gwen said, and I looked down at the boy, stroking his hair lightly as he nuzzled his face in my chest.

"What's going to happen to him?" Merlin asked, sitting down beside Gwen. She glanced over at him with a solemn gaze, before looking back at the boy.

"I don't know."

"Well, one thing's for sure." I said, and they both looked at me. "There is no way in hell this boy will die at the hands of Uther."

"I agree." Merlin immediately backed me up.

"So do I." Gwen said. "But you have to remember that this boy isn't the only person in danger. If the King finds out that we are hiding him withing the castle walls, he will have our heads." She said with slight fear in her eyes. Gwen may be a kind, caring, loving woman, but she isn't fearless. Merlin must have noticed it, because he put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his side, comforting her the best way he could without being awkward.

"Don't worry. We'll be fine." He assured, before looking at her with an intense gaze and lowering his voice. "I won't let you get hurt." He whispered, making her smile gently as she nuzzled her head in the crook of his neck, fitting there perfectly. I smiled softly at the sight of them, and tried not to make any noise because it seemed that they have both forgotten I was even in the room. But I still smiled like an idiot. My brother is in love!

*The Next Day*

Morgana watched nervously as Merlin and I knelt down by the boy's side. Right after she returned from from dinner with the King yesterday, Merlin and I had to go back to Gaius's head quarters for the night, and Gwen had to go to her house.

"He's burning up." I stated as I touched the boy's forehead with the back of my hand. "How long has he been like this?"

"Since early this morning." Morgana replied, looking at the boy worriedly. To be honest, I was freaking out myself.

"I think his wound may be infected." I said, looking at Merlin who was on my other side.

"We need Gaius before it get's any worse." Morgana said, but Merlin immediately shook his head.

"No, we can't involve Gaius. It's too dangerous." I was about to protest, but Merlin quickly turned his gaze towards me. "Besides, if he finds out about this, he'll execute us himself."

"You're probably right." I sighed, but changed my mind as soon as I looked down at the boy again. "But Morgana is also right. We need to get him out of Camelot, and we can't do that when he's sick. We need a physician." I said strongly, causing Morgana to give me a relieved and slightly thankful smile.

"I'll treat him." My brother unexpectedly announced, making us both look at him in shock.

"Merlin, do you know how to treat an infected wound?" Morgana asked skeptically after glancing at me.

"Not exactly, but I'm a fast learner." Merlin replied. I opened my mouth to say something, but stopped and whipped around along with Merlin and Morgana as we heard heavy footsteps outside the door, before someone knocked loudly. The three of us shared a quick look, before Morgana and I stood up and moved away. I then quickly closed the curtains to hide Merlin and the boy, as Morgana walked over to the door. She glanced back at me for a second, and I nodded, letting her know that it was okay to open the door. She nodded back at me, before opening the door as I stepped over to to stand next to the dining table casually.

"Arthur." She greeted, making me look up. "To what do I owe this pleasure." She asked sarcastically, letting the Prince enter.

"Don't get all excited, it's not a social call." Arthur replied before his gaze fell on me. "Annabelle." He gave me a nod with a smile, making me smile back and curtsy.

"Sire." He smiled warmly at me before turning around to look at Morgana.

"I'm looking for the Druid boy." He said, making my smile falter immediately. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to search your chambers." Now my smile was completely gone.

"You're not searching my chambers." Morgana immediately said.

"Don't take it seriously. I have to search the entire castle." Arthur said, before starting to look around. "It will only take a few minutes."

"I'm not having you mess up my things." Morgana protested after glancing at the curtain behind which my brother and the boy were hiding.

"I'm not interested in your things!" Arthur exclaimed, exasperated.

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"I'm just looking for any evidence that the Druid boy is in the castle." Prince Arthur explained as he looked around the Lady Morgana's chambers. As soon as these words left his lips, Merlin's eyes fell on the Druid boy's boots, which were lying by one of the chests. He glanced at his sister to see if she could do something about it, but Annabelle was too busy making sure that Arthur wouldn't come near them.

"Perhaps the Druid boy is hiding in your chambers." Lady Morgana said, keeping her gaze on the Prince. "It's usually such a mess you'd never know."

"It's hardly my fault." Arthur retorted as he walked over to the further part of the room. "I have such a lazy idiot for a servant." Annabelle rolled her eyes. Oh, if only Arthur knew what that 'lazy idiot' does for him.

"Bestepe scós." Merlin whispered, keeping his gaze on the Druid boy's boots.

"If you can't even find your own servant, what hope do you have in finding the boy?" Morgana asked Arthur, not seeing what was happening. The Druid's boots started silently tiptoeing on their own towards Merlin.

"Really," Arthur started, turning back around to face Morgana and Annabelle. Merlin noticed that, and immediately put his gaze on the boots once again.

"Gestælle scós." He whispered, and boots quickly stopped before tiptoeing backwards to stand against a pillar as Arthur turned around completely and grabbed himself a few grapes.

"As much as I'd love to stay and talk, the sooner we get started, the sooner we can finish." He finished, before turning around once again to look at the other side of the room.

"Astýre scós." Merlin whispered once again.

"Well, I'll save you the trouble." Morgana said as the boots tiptoed quickly and silently in Merlin's direction, hiding behind the curtain.

"Trust me, if I could find him, I would." Arthur said, not noticing anything magical happening in the room. Quite frankly, no one did, not even Annabelle.

"The Druid boy is hiding behind the screen." Morgana said, making Annabelle's eyes widen, and Merlin look up abruptly. Did she just sell them out? Arthur's gaze then fell on the screen and the curtain right behind it, making Merlin gasp quietly and hide quickly. "I'm sure your father would love to know how you wasted your time by ruffling through my things." Morgana continued with a smirk, walking up to Arthur. Annabelle finally caught on and visibly relaxed, also stepping closer.

"Go right ahead." She gestured towards the screen, looking at the Prince. Arthur's eyes then fell on her, and he raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, so our dear Morgana here can have the satisfaction of making me look like a fool?" He asked, looking back at the Lady.

"Oh, in my experience you don't need any help looking like a fool." Morgana replied with a smirk, making Annabelle stifle a chuckle. "What are you waiting for?" Morgana's smirk turned into a grin. "Take a look."

"Why don't you just go back to... Brushing your hair or whatever it is you do all day." Arthur snapped, not liking that he was embarrassed by Morgana in front of Annabelle, before walking out of the room.

"Bye, Arthur!" Morgana called with a grin. "Good luck with the search!" The last thing they heard was the door slamming shut, making them all sigh in relief.


	52. The Plan

**Thank you all for your amazing reviews! I hope you like this chapter!**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

It was now late in the evening, and the only source of light came from the candles in the back of Morgana's chambers.

"How much longer is it going to take?" Morgana asked quietly with a sigh, making me shake my head. Merlin has gone for the supplies he needed from Gaius to treat the boy's wound, but it was taking him way too long; he left before noon.

"I don't know." I replied, glancing at the boy who was sleeping soundly. Even though Morgana and I both tried to wipe the sweat off of his face and chest, new beads formed immediately after, so after an hour or two of trying we gave up. He was still very pale, and was breathing heavily.

"Do you think Merlin will be able to do this?" My best friend asked, and I looked at her with my eyebrow slightly raised.

"Honestly?" She nodded. "I have absolutely no idea." I answered with a quiet sigh, just as a quiet knock sounded at the door. I glanced at Morgana before getting up and quietly rushing to the doors. I then opened them quietly, and my brother immediately walked in, holding a small bag which probably held the medical supplies, while I closed the door. "What took you so long?" I snapped quietly, getting more and more worried for the boy by the second.

"Sorry." Merlin glanced at me over his shoulder before glancing at Morgana and the boy. Morgana stood up from where she was sitting on the sofa, and looked at Merlin, relieved. "Once Gaius gets talking about anatomy, there's no stopping him." My brother said, putting the bag on the small table by the screen and taking out the small glass bottles with he medical herbs inside of them. He then opened all of them and grabbed a small bowl, which was by the vase on the table, quickly pouring everything into it. He then quickly grabbed a wooden spoon, which I forgot to take back to the kitchens after Morgana and I both had lunch in her chambers, since I was too worried about the boy. Merlin then grabbed a small jug of water and poured all of it, which wasn't much, into the bowl, before picking it up and mixing all the ingredients with the spoon, as he walked towards the boy and knelt down next to him. I noticed that the boy woke up, but was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. Morgana and I shared a quick glance, before kneeling down on either sides of Merlin.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Morgana asked skeptically as Merlin applied the mixture onto the boy's wound.

"I'm doing my best." Merlin simply replied, as I grabbed a small towel and wiped off the mixture from the places on the boy's arm where it wasn't needed.

"I'll get you some more water." Morgana said, before getting up and walking over to the other side of the room. Merlin started mixing everything in the bowl once more, while I used the other end of the towel to wipe the boy's forehead.

_Thank you, Ketziyaa_. I looked at the boy sharply as the words reached my mind, only to see him already looking at me. I shared a confused look with Merlin, who also heard the boy, before looking at the Druid.

_Ketziyaa? Why do you call me that?_

_Among my people, that is your name._ The boy replied to my question, before bringing his gaze onto Merlin. _Yours is Emrys._

_You know who we are._ I stated in shock.

_How?_ Merlin asked, trying to get over his. The two of us looked at the boy questioningly, but his eyes rolled back and he started to loose consciousness.

"Speak to us." Merlin pleaded gently, wanting to find out as much as he could.

"I don't know if he can't speak, or," Morgana began as she came back with another jug of water and knelt down next to Merlin. "He's just too afraid to." I glanced at Morgana fleetingly before looking back at the boy. How does he know who Merlin and I are?

"I'll be right back." I said, and without giving anyone an explanation, although I'm pretty sure Merlin understood what I was doing, left the Morgana's chambers.

*10 minutes later*

After distracting the guards who were on the posts in front of the cells once again, I quickly grabbed one of the torches and made my way towards the Great Dragon's cave. I looked around quickly to make sure that the guards weren't coming yet, before making my way down the stairs. Once I entered the cave, I looked around, and not seeing the Dragon anywhere. Typical.

"Hello?" I called out, still looking around. Nothing. I then walked over to the other side of the stone platform that I was standing on, and looked around the cave. Nothing. I sighed and was about to turn back, when a loud growl came from behind me, making me gasp and whip around, only to see the Great Dragon perched up on one of the stone walls of the cave. I released a breath that I didn't even know I was holding, before looking at the Dragon in annoyance. "Do you have to do that? You scared the life out of me!" The Dragon simply looked at me before flying towards me, with the long chain that was attached to one of his claws making a noise, and landing on the huge rock in front of me.

"The young Sorceress." He said with a hint of smile, if dragons can smile. "No doubt you're here about the Druid boy"

"How did you know?" I asked with my eyes wide, having enough of shocking experiences today.

"Like you and Merlin, I hear him speak." The Dragon answered.

"Why does he call me Ketziyaa?" I asked, deciding that if I found out the answer to that question, I would also find out why the Druid boy calls Merlin, Emrys.

"Because that is your name." The Great Dragon simply replied, making me raise an eyebrow at him.

"I'm pretty sure my name is Annabelle, always has been." I said, shaking my head and looking at him strangely. I honestly have no idea what is going on.

"You and your brother have many names." The Dragon said.

"Do we?" I asked, still a little in shock, before shaking my head lightly and reminding myself to ask the important questions before he decides to fly away. "How does the boy know who we are? We've never even met any Druids."

"There is much written about you and Merlin, that you two have yet to read." The Great Dragon said with a hint of a smile, before his expression turned more serious than I have ever seen. "You and your brother should not protect this boy. Especially you." I looked at him in shock.

"Why?! He's just a child! Besides, he has magic; he's just like me!" I exclaimed, shocked too much to care that I didn't mention Merlin's name. I probably didn't even have to, since the Dragon knows him as well as he know me.

"You and the boy are as different as day and night." The Great Dragon protested.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Heed my words, Annabelle. I see you have grown a bond with this boy." He said. "Do not let your instincts cloud your judgement." The Dragon said, before he flew away, leaving me shocked beyond belief. Again.

*The Next Day*

I knocked on the doors to Morgana's chambers, before leaning in.

"It's Annabelle and Merlin." I called quietly, and heard footsteps on the other side of the door before Gwen's face appeared in the space between the doors. Once she saw that there was no one else except for me and Merlin, she quickly stepped aside and let us in. Merlin slowed down as he caught Gwen's gaze, but I quickly rushed over to Morgan's side, who was kneeling by the boy and wiping his forehead as he breathed heavily. "How is he?" I asked, as Gwen and Merlin came to stand next to where I was kneeling.

"He's getting weak." Morgana answered me worriedly, before looking at Merlin over her shoulder. "Whatever you did yesterday hasn't worked. We have to ask Gaius for his help." She said, and I couldn't help but agree. Merlin however, looked really uncomfortable at the idea and sighed, scratching his head with a grimace. "After all you've done you can't give up now."

"She's right, Merlin." I said. " We need Gaius." Merlin looked at me with the grimace still plastered on his face, not liking the idea at all.

"Please!" Morgana exclaimed, and making all of us look at her. "If he doesn't receive treatment, he'll die."

"Come on." I said, getting up on my feet and grabbing Merlin's hand, pulling him out the door.

*5 minutes later*

Merlin was now sitting on the steps that led to our room in Gaius's head quarters, while I sat on a chair near him, both of us wondering how to tell Gaius the truth without getting killed in the process.

"The search for this Druid boy is becoming a real nuisance." Gaius complained lightly as he gathered some of his supplies. "With all the extra security around the castle it's taking me twice as long to do my round." He said, before grabbing the small basket with the supplies and heading towards the door.

"Morgana is hiding the Druid boy in her chambers." I finally gathered enough courage to speak up, making Gaius freeze in his tracks for a second, before he turned around to look at me with wide eyes. He continued to stare as he came back to where he was standing before and set the basket back on the table.

"When you say that Morgana's hiding the Druid boy, I take it that means that you two are helping her." He said, now looking at Merlin.

"Sort of." I admitted.

"Annabelle, you and Merlin promised me that you wouldn't get involved." Gaius scolded.

"I know. I'm sorry." I sighed as Merlin stood up and walked closer towards me and Gaius. "We had no choice."

"Every guard in Camelot is searching for this boy, and you two are harboring him under their very noses. Can't you see how dangerous that is? What were you two thinking of?" Gaius continued as I also stood up.

"What were we supposed to do?" I asked incredulously. "Hand him over to the guards to be executed?"

"You think you two can save this boy?" Gaius asked. "What happens if you and Merlin's are caught? Who's going to save you?"

"Are you saying it's wrong to harbor a young magician?" Merlin asked with a hard look in his eyes, looking at Gaius pointedly. After all, the Court Physician is doing the exact same thing with us, as we are doing with the Druid boy. There was a moment of silence as Gaius continued to stare at us with a worry and regret, but at the same time a little bit of anger.

"The difference is, Merlin, that your and Anna's magic is still a secret." Gaius said. "Though it's a wonder how considering how careless you are."

"The boy's hurt." I cut in, trying to bring the conversation to our main priority.

"He's really sick." Merlin added. "I've tried to treat him." He shook his head before looking at Gaius.

"We need your help." I said with a hint of pleading in my voice.

"So now you want to risk my neck too." Gaius said bitterly, making me give him an apologetic yet pleading look. "I wish the boy no harm, but it's too dangerous."

"Well, if you don't, we may as well hand him over to the guards because he'll die anyway." I snapped, making the look in Gaius's eyes soften a little. I then continued in a softer voice, "You didn't turn your back on us... Please don't turn your back on him." There was another moment of silence between us as Merlin and I waited for Gaius's answer.

"Alright."

*20 minutes later*

I stood next to Morgana as Gaius touched the Druid boy's forehead with his hand. He then held the boy's eyelid with his thumb, and look into his eye, looking for signs of any other illness. After he was done, he sat back on his heels and looked at me and Merlin seriously.

"I will treat the boy, but as soon as he's well you must get him out of Camelot. I won't be tied to anyone caught helping him." Gaius said, and we all nodded in understanding, and I sent him a thankful look. He already did enough for us as it is, and he wasn't obligated to help this boy. But he still has. Gaius then unwrapped the patching on the boy's wound and sighed. "Well, one thing we know for certain." He said.

"What's that?" Merlin asked, making Gaius look at him over his shoulder.

"You're no physician." He answered as I smiled a small smile, and looked at Merlin teasingly, making him roll his eyes.

*1 hour and 30 minutes later*

"Halt!" One of the Camelot guards called to a peasant pulling a cart full of branches who was leaving through the castle gates, and stopped him by putting a hand on his chest. Morgana, Gwen, Merlin, and I all watched from behind one of the market stands as a few other guards came over and started looking through the wood in the cart, checking for the Druid boy.

"The guards are searching everyone leaving the town." Gwen said with a frown, making me and Morgana sigh.

"There's another way out." Merlin spoke up, and we all looked at him curiously. "There's a secret door in the armory. It leads to the Lower Town. I'll take the boy out that way."

"No. It's too dangerous." Morgana spoke up, making all of us look at her in confusion. "I'll do it."

"I-I-I'm good with secret doors and things." Merlin tried to change her mind as Gwen furrowed her eyebrows.

"If you get caught, Uther will execute you." Morgana said. "The boy is my responsibility. I'll smuggle him out of the castle." I sighed. She has a point. If Merlin is caught with the boy, they will both be executed immediately. But if Morgana is caught, Uther will only punish her while the rest of us might try to save the boy one more time.

"Well, you'll need the key for the door." Merlin said as we watched the man throw the branches back onto the cart after it was checked by the guards.

"Who has it?" I asked, and Merlin sighed, looking up ahead.

"Arthur." He kept looking at he guards, while the girls turned to look at me pointedly.

"What?"

"You can get that key easily." Gwen said with a small smirk.

"How?" Merlin asked, and I nodded quickly.

"Yeah, how?"

"By flirting your way through." Morgana answered nonchalantly as if it were the most simple thing anyone has ever done.

"No." I shook my head, but the girls just stared at me. "No way!"

"She doesn't have to 'flirt her way' through anything." Merlin cut in. "I'll get that key."

*Evening*

I smiled as the boy snuggled closer to me while Morgana put on one of Gwen's dresses and cloaks. At first I offered her mine, but then we all agreed that Gwen's clothes look much simpler and it will be easier to be disguised as a peasant in them, since my clothes look expensive.

"It will have to do." Morgana sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror, before turning to Gwen. "I feel I've put you in danger without ever stopping to ask how you feel about it. I'm sorry."

"I know how it feels to face the threat of execution." Gwen replied. "And I wouldn't wish that on anyone." Morgana and I both gave her a sympathetic look when someone suddenly knocked on the door.

"It's Merlin!" We heard, and Gwen immediately rushed to let him in while Morgana walked over to me and the boy, kneeling down in front of us.

"We're going to get you out of Camelot." I said quietly with a smile, and Morgana nodded in agreement.

"I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise." She added and the boy looked up at me as his arms wrapped around my waist. It seems that he was asking me if what Morgana said was true, so I nodded with a small smile, which he returned just as Merlin came over to us.

"Are you ready?" He asked, and Morgana nodded, standing up.

"Did you get the keys?" I asked when I noticed him staring at the boy's arms wrapped around me with furrowed eyebrows.

"Yeah." Merlin nodded and took them out, handing them to Morgana. "Uh, the door is behind the shield at the far end of the armory."

"We'll pack you some food and water for the journey." I said, gesturing to Gwen and myself, making Morgana give me a thankful nod.

"Be careful." Gwen said, and Morgana nodded once more. I then gently unwrapped the boy's arms from around my waist and got up.

"Come on." I said softly with a small smile, and he returned it once again, following me to the other end of the chambers, where his cloak and boots were. His shirt was already back on. While he put on his shoes, I helped him put on his cloak.

"Are you ready?" Morgana asked, and I looked down at the boy, who nodded before hugging me once again. I smiled and hugged him back, before letting go and looking at Morgana.

"He is."


	53. He Will Not Die

**Thank you all so much for your reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying this story so far, and I hope you like this chapter.**

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"I hope they're okay." Guinevere said worriedly as she packed some wrapped up food into a small bag. Merlin was pacing back and forth in her small but comfortable house, a look of worry plastered on his face as well. They were both waiting for Annabelle to show up, seeing as she was packing more food in Gaius's chambers, before the Lady Morgana and the Druid boy show up in Guinevere's house. "Morgana really cares about the boy." Gwen said. "I've never seen her this way with anyone." She shook her head with furrowed eyebrows. Merlin nodded, knowing what she meant.

"Annabelle's the same." He said. "She's always been caring and loving, but this time is different. She's ready to die for this boy." Merlin then sat down in front of Gwen, and sighed as he put his arms on the table. "I'm sure they just want to protect him." Gwen hummed in agreement, but they both couldn't help but think that it was something more than it seemed.

*5 minutes later*

Guinevere and Merlin both looked up as the door opened, only to see Annabelle rushing in and closing the door behind her. She quickly brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and placed a basket filled with wrapped up food on the table.

"Alright, I made enough food for two days." She said, and Gwen nodded as she stood up and grabbed two more cloth bags, putting them on the table.

"Let's put it in here. It will be easier for them to carry." She suggested, and Annabelle nodded, immediately packing the food into the bags.

"How much is there in total?" She asked, and Gwen thought for a second.

"I made enough for a day and a half and you made enough for two days, so I'd say that there's enough for at least three days." She answered, before grabbing a string and tying the ends of the bags together, so that Morgana could easily grab all of them at once. Just as the two girls finished the packing, the warning bell sounded through the kingdom, making the three of them suck in a sharp breath; the guards knew the Druid boy was here.

Guinevere paced back and forth with worry, holding her hand up to her mouth nervously. After a couple seconds, Merlin finally stood up and stopped her by putting his hands on her shoulders, before quickly pulling her in for a hug. Gwen sighed in worry, but couldn't help the small smile that formed on her face as she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in Merlin's chest. Meanwhile, Annabelle was looking out the window, holding the curtain only a centimeter or two up with her fingers, making sure that no one would notice her waiting for someone. Suddenly, two figures, one smaller than the other, came into her sight.

"They're coming." She announced, before quickly taking a step or two towards the door, her hand on the knob. Gwen and Merlin pulled away at the sound of her voice, and watched as she opened the door just a tiny bit in order to see how close Morgana and the Druid boy were. Not 5 seconds passed, before she quickly opened the door, and Morgana and the boy rushed in, letting her close the door immediately after. "There's enough food for three days." Annabelle said as she walked over to the rest.

"The horses, fed and watered, I'll take you to them." Merlin said, but the Lady Morgana immediately shook her head.

"No. There's no point in more of us risking our lives."

"What about you?" Annabelle asked worriedly as the warning bell continued to be heard.

"I'm the King's Ward; I'll take my chances." Morgana replied.

"Morgana!" Gwen exclaimed, nearly in tears.

"I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to any of you!" Morgana said quickly, before looking at each of them. "I must go." She said, before pulling the boy with her towards the door.

_Goodbye, Ketziyaa_. The boy connected his mind to Merlin and Annabelle's as he passed them. Goodbye, Emrys. The two siblings watched them leave as Guinevere tried to hold in her tears. As soon as the Lady and the Druid stepped outside, Merlin closed the door behind them, as Annabelle slumped onto a bench by the table with a heavy sigh and her eyes closed, and Gwen started pacing once again, worry filling all of them to the very tip.

* * *

*The Next Day, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"I promised I wouldn't let anything bad happen to him." Morgana said with tears in her eyes as she, Merlin, and I stood in her chambers. We failed. Arthur and the guards caught Morgana with the boy. The boy was now in the dungeons, awaiting his execution tomorrow at dawn, while Uther was more than furious with Morgana.

"You can't blame yourself." Merlin said as he wrapped his arm around me. "You both tried your best."

"It's not enough." Morgana snapped in a quivering voice.

"He's in jail now, there's nothing more we can do." My brother said, and I pulled away from him, looking at him in disbelief. Is he really going to give up so easily and let an innocent child die?!

"I will not let him die." Morgana said strongly, walking towards us, and I nodded in agreement.

"And neither will I." I said, and Morgana gave me a thankful nod, gripping my hand tightly as her lower lip quivered slightly.

"Can we count on your help?" She asked Merlin, and he nodded, though I could see it was reluctant, which made me regret ever telling him what the Great Dragon said to me. "Thank you." Morgana breathed out, before she turned to me. "Do you think there's any way you could persuade Arthur to help us? I would do it myself, but Uther put me under constant guard." I immediately nodded, knowing that Arthur will help when help is needed. He is not's like Uther. I know he isn't.

*10 minutes later, Prince Arthur's Chambers*

I looked up as I heard the doors to Arthur's chambers open, only to see the Prince himself walking in, which made me stand up from where I was sitting on one of the chairs. Arthur stopped in his tracks at the sight of me, before closing the doors behind himself and turning to look at me.

"Annabelle." He acknowledged, though his tone was hard. "Is there something you need?" He asked, taking off his jacket.

"I've come to ask for your help." I said, ignoring the scoff that I received from him. "You can't let your father execute the boy."

"You're lucky he's not executing you!" Arthur snapped, which made me wince. He figured it out.

"You know." I said, and he nodded.

"Yes, I know. I know you've been helping Morgana hide the boy all this time. I know you've committed treason. And I know you don't trust me." Arthur said, the last words laced with hurt.

"It's not that I don't trust you." I protested, making him scoff in disbelief. "I do trust you, Arthur. With my life. But I know you are loyal to your father, and I didn't want to put you in such a difficult position."

"Why would it be difficult?" He asked, trying to act nonchalant, but I could see right through it.

"Please don't lie to me, Arthur." I said softly. "I know you think your father's wrong to execute him."

"What I think, doesn't matter. Father's made up his mind." Arthur said, taking off his scabbard and putting it away, before grabbing himself a goblet of wine from the table. "He won't be talked out of it. I tried."

"Then the time for talking is over." I said strongly as Arthur walked over to the window.

"What you and Morgana are thinking is not going to happen, Annabelle." He said, not even looking at me.

"We have to get the boy back to his people." I said, walking over to him.

"No." Arthur immediately protested harshly. "Forget it."

"I can't believe you'd let an innocent child die." I said just as harshly. I don't know if I was slowly loosing hope, of if I was just getting angrier, but I do know that I will not let that boy die. I will get him out, with or without Arthur's help.

"It's too late!" Arthur finally looked at me. "He's been caught." Suddenly, I saw regret lace his blue eyes as he looked away from me and out the window again. "I have no choice."

"Yes, you do, Arthur." I said. "You always have a choice, in a smaller or larger scale. I mean... Is this how you will rule when you will be King? Thinking you have no choice?" I continued as I stepped closer and put my hand on top of his, which was resting on the back of a chair. "You have to do the right thing, Arthur." I said, making him look at me. "And the right thing is not to let an innocent be executed. It's to stand up for what you believe in. You're not like your father. No matter how much you may look up to him, you're not like him. And you never will be. Because you are a better man than him. I mean no disrespect towards the King, but the people of Camelot are hoping that when you are King, things will be different; better. Your father might be a great man, if anyone would ever know that, you do. But he is blinded with hatred towards magic. And perhaps he has a good reason, I don't know everything about him. But to be a just ruler, a just man, is to never let one person change your view on thousands."

"I will not betray him." Arthur said, but I could see the internal battle in his eyes. I know he is considering what I said.

"I know you don't want to. I do." I said softly. "But if I know you at all, which I'd like to think that I do, you won't stand by and let this happen." I then took another step towards him, so that our chests were nearly touching. Seeing as I am only 5'3 1/2", I had to tilt my head to look in his eyes. "Please." I said quietly. "If you won't do this for the boy, then do it for me."

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

Annabelle could see something change in Arthur's eyes. He stared at her for a moment or two, before he saw tears form in her beautiful, light blue eyes.

"Please." she whispered. He couldn't say no. He could see that she cared for this boy a great deal. And Annabelle was right; he knows what the right thing to do is. What the right thing to do for his people is. And he is going to do it. No matter what his father says. After another moment of gazing at each other, Arthur nodded his head, letting Annabelle know that he will help them. A relieved smile broke out on her face, and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck. Arthur was shocked, to say the least, but he was slowly getting used to hugging her. Her hugs were always comforting and warm. He immediately set his goblet down on the seat by the window, and wrapped his arms around her waist, placing his chin on her shoulder.


	54. The Beginning of the End

**Thank you all so much for all your reviews! I hope to get more soon, and I hope you like this chapter! Get ready for some original romance!**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

After Arthur agreed to help us save the Druid boy, I immediately went to Morgana's chambers. Thankfully, Gwen was there as well, so I asked her to distract the guards at Morgana's door, while Morgana and I went to Arthur's chambers. Now Morgana and I were standing side by side next to Arthur, who was sitting in his chair. The three of us were trying to come up with the best plan to save the boy, when suddenly the doors to Arthur's chambers opened and Merlin proceeded to walk in, but froze at the sight of the three of us, seeing that we were in the middle of discussing something important.

"Sorry." He apologized. "Was I interrupting something?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with." Arthur replied. "Now make yourself useful; muck out my horses." Merlin nodded his head ever so lightly and took a step back, ready to leave.

"I trust Merlin." Morgana said, which made my brother stop. Arthur looked up at Morgana, and then looked at me questioningly. No matter what Merlin thinks of the Druid boy after what the Great Dragon said, he is still my brother and I know I can trust him, so I nodded, letting Arthur know that it's fine to let Merlin know everything. Arthur gave a small nod, before looking at Merlin and gesturing for him to come in. Merlin did so, closing the doors behind him.

"We're going to break the Druid boy out of the dungeons." I said, but Merlin immediately shook his head and took a few steps towards us.

"You can't do that!"

"We have to." Morgana said. "Uther's going to execute him at dawn!"

"I mean..." Merlin started, trying to make up for his outburst. "It's too dangerous." Morgana and I gave him incredulous looks, so he pointed his finger at my best friend. "You've already been caught once! And if the King catches you a second time, he'll never forgive you." Merlin said, walking towards us and stopping next to Morgana.

"I'm not worried for myself." Morgana said.

"Merlin's right." Arthur spoke up. "When my father finds out the boy escaped, he will suspect you of being involved."

"It's suicide." Merlin shook his head, agreeing with Arthur.

"You must go to my father, and apologize." Arthur said to Morgana. "Dine with him."

"The King can't hold you responsible if you're with him when the boy escapes." I said in agreement, and Morgana looked at me.

"You need me if the plan's to work." She protested, and I shared a look with Arthur. "The two of you can't do this on your own."

"Merlin will take your place." Arthur said, and my brother's eyes widened.

"Me?" He exclaimed in disbelief as Arthur stood up and started making his way over to him.

"I'm going to take the boy out through the burial vaults. There's a tunnel, that leads beyond the city walls." Arthur explained. "Get my horse from the stables, and meet me and Annabelle there. She will take Morgana's horse, seeing as she can't take mine because she is not my servant. There's a grate that covers the entrance to the tunnel. Bring a rope, and a grappling hook to pull it off."

"I-I can't. I-"

"Merlin!" Arthur cut my brother off. "Do you understand? If you're not there to meet us, we'll surely be caught. And that includes your sister, who will be executed alongside the boy if we fail." Normally, I would suck in a sharp breath in worry at that kind of a statement; that I can die the next day if something goes wrong. But this time is different. Not only have I nearly grown used to risking my life everyday by even living in Camelot, but because I worry about the boy too much to worry about myself. I saw Merlin glance at me with fear in his eyes, before looking back at Arthur and nodding, letting us know that he will do it. Arthur nodded and peeked through a hole in between the doors, before looking back at Morgana. "There's no guard. You can go." She nodded, and immediately left, being careful not bump into one of the hall patrols. Arthur then left through the other door so that he could send word to the Druids, asking them to meet us in the woods. Merlin looked at me for a second, before grabbing my wrist and pulling me out of Arthur's chambers. I didn't have to ask where we were going. I already knew the answer.

*5 minutes later*

Merlin and I both made our way into the cave where the Great Dragon is imprisoned, with my brother carrying a torch. Strangely enough, we didn't have to look for the Dragon this time, since he was already lying on the huge rocks in front of us.

"We need to know why you told Annabelle not to protect the boy." Merlin said.

"You seek my council, and yet you both choose to ignore it." The Dragon said, and I grew slightly irritated, knowing that we were running out of time.

"Just tell us why!" I exclaimed in annoyance, but also worry.

"If the boy lives, the two of you cannot fulfill your destinies." The Great Dragon said, and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What's he got to do with our destinies? You told us that my destiny is to marry Arthur." I said, not even paying attention to the meaning of these words.

"And you said that our destiny is to protect him." Merlin backed me up, to understanding how the Druid boy can stop us from doing so.

"Then you have the answer you seek." The Dragon simply said, and my eyes widened.

"Are you telling us... That little boy is going to kill Arthur?" I asked in disbelief.

"It seems that is up to the two of you." The Great Dragon said, and I immediately shook my head.

"No."

"You can't know that for certain." Merlin backed me up, not willing to believe what the Dragon was saying either.

"The two of you have it in your power to prevent a great evil." The Great Dragon said.

"There must be another way!" I exclaimed. "The future isn't set in stone!"

"You must let the boy die." The Dragon said to me slowly, not bothering to mention Merlin's name. He didn't have to. I am the one who is mostly against hurting the boy, and Merlin knows that the Great Dragon wants us to do everything together, seeing as we are stronger when we do so. I couldn't bear to listen to it anymore, so I grabbed the torch from Merlin, who was frozen where he stood, and left.

I could hear my brother chasing after me, but didn't stop walking.

"You can't honestly believe that what he said is true." I said, not even looking at Merlin.

"I don't know what to believe anymore, Anna." My brother said, and I stopped, turning around to look at him.

"So you're going to let a little boy die just because a riddle-talking Dragon told you to?" I asked incredulously, and Merlin gave me a look.

"Well, this wasn't exactly a riddle now, was it?" He said, and I shook my head.

"You know what? Let's just go."

*25 minutes later*

I was now sitting next to Gaius, trying to eat my dinner, while Merlin sat across from us, not even trying to eat his. He was just staring at the plate.

"I presume it's applying to the Druid boy that's causing your forehead to wrinkle like a lizard's elbow." Gaius said, and if it were any other circumstances, I would have laughed.

"Would you let something terrible happen," Merlin spoke up for the first time in 20 minutes or so. "If it meant you could stop something even worse happening in the future?"

"I suppose it depends what the 'terrible' and 'even worse' things were." Gaius replied.

"One is bad." I said, making both men look at me. "Really bad. And the other is..." I tired to imagine a life without Arthur. "Unthinkable."

"Sounds as if you already made the decision." Gaius said. "You have to do what you believe to be right. I just hope it doesn't involve the two of you putting yourselves in terrible danger."

"For once you don't have to worry." Merlin said with a small smile, which made me furrow my eyebrows. "I'm going to do nothing." I froze in disbelief, and my spoon fell out of my hand.

"Anna?" Gaius asked in concern. "Are you alright?" But I didn't look at him. I kept my gaze on Merlin.

"No. No, I am not alright." And with that I got up and walked away from the two of them, going into my and Merlin's room. If he's not going to do the right thing, I will.

Just as I was putting on my cloak, the door opened and Merlin walked in.

"What are you doing?" He asked, and I gave him a look.

"What do you think?"

"Are you crazy?" he exclaimed, and I lost my temper.

"Are you?!" His eyes widened slightly at my outburst, but I didn't care. "I don't care what the Dragon says! If you think the right thing to do is letting a child be executed for who he is, then I don't know whose brother you are. Because you are not mine." I said, and I could see the hurt in Merlin's eyes. But I didn't care at the moment. How could he, my caring, protective, and loving brother be ready to let a little boy get killed?!

"You heard what the Dragon said. That boy is going to kill Arthur." Merlin said, and I nodded.

"Yes, I know. I was there!" I said. "But just because the Dragon said it's going to happen, doesn't mean that it will! Yes, the boy might kill Arthur if we give him a reason! But if we can prove that Arthur is not like Uther, that he is a better man, the Druids won't have a reason to hate him! Quite the opposite; they will be grateful!" Just as I said that, the warning bell sounded, making my eyes widen. We're running out of time. "If they get caught, Arthur will never trust you again." I said, and Merlin opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a voice in our minds.

_Emrys. Emrys. Ketziyaa. Where are you? Emrys. Help us. Ketziyaa. Please. They're coming_. I sucked in a sharp breath and looked over at my brother as I grabbed the bag with food I got from Gwen.

"Last chance." I said and, without waiting for a reply, ran out of the room. Merlin's my brother. He will do the right thing. I know he will. He has to.

_I'm scared, Ketziyaa._ My eyes filled up with tears as I ran to the stables. Thankfully there was no guard, since they all probably ran to see what the whole commotion with the warning bell was about, so I quickly ran over to Morgana's horse and saddled it. _Emrys, don't do this. Don't take it on me. I know you can hear me. I'm for you, my friend. I don't want to die._ I quickly grabbed the horse's reigns and led it out of the stables. _Emrys! Emrys! EMRYS!_ I covered my ears as the yell reached my mind, but quickly recovered and jumped on Morgana's horse, directing it towards the end of the tunnel that runs through the burial vaults. Just as I reached my destination, I saw Arthur mount his horse and Merlin standing next to the Druid boy. As soon as they saw me, the boy ran over to me, so I held out my hand and pulled him up so that he would be sat in front of me.

"If my father asks where I am, I've gone on a hunting trip." Arthur instructs Merlin.

"You better make yourself scarce." I said to Merlin as I looked at the castle. "Or the King will execute you in the boy's place." Merlin nodded and was about to turn around, but was stopped by the boy's voice once again.

_Goodbye, Emrys. I know that someday, we will meet again._ My eyes widened slightly, but Arthur didn't notice anything, thankfully, and kicked his heels into his horse's sides gently and started galloping into the forest. I clucked Morgana's horse, and it also started galloping, following the Prince.

* * *

*3 1/2 hour later, Arthur's P.O.V.*

"We're here!" I called to Annabelle over my shoulder, and she nodded, pulling Morgana's horse to a stop, while I pulled mine. I then quickly dismounted and led my horse over to the nearest tree, tying the reigns to a branch, before walking over to Annabelle and helping the boy jump off the horse. I looked up at Annabelle and held out my arms, to which she smiled softly and put her hands on my shoulders, while I put my hands on her waist and gently lowered her to the ground. I looked into her eyes to return the smile, but couldn't bear to look away once I did so. After a while of just staring, I forced myself to snap out of my stupid daze, and walked over to the boy, offering him my hand, while Annabelle tied the reigns of Morgana's horse to a branch as well before walking over the boy's other side and holding out her hand for him to take. He did so immediately, making her smile softly. I can see that she really cares about the boy, and I had to stop myself from staring and making myself look like a fool. "This way." I said, and started leading them both deeper into the forest, where we were supposed to meet the Druids.

We didn't have to walk for long. After a minute or two, we saw three older Druid men make their way toward us. They were all wearing cloaks, but the Druid in the middle was the only one who dared to show his face. He had a slightly tan skin and short, curly white hair, and seemed to be in his middle 50's. The other two's faces were covered by the hoods of their cloaks. As soon as we reached them, the boy slipped his hands out of mine and Annabelle's, and walked over to the Druid in the middle, who placed his hands on his shoulders as the four of them turned to look at me and Annabelle, who now walked over to be standing closer to me.

"We are forever indebted to you, Arthur Pendragon, and to you, Annabelle, for returning the boy to us." The Druid in the middle said, and I nodded, while Annabelle only smiled, letting them know that there is no debt.

"You must not let it be know that it was we who returned him to you." I said, and the Druid nodded understandingly.

"We will tell no one. You have my word." He promised, before bowing his head with a small smile, making me and Annabelle return the gesture. The four Druids then proceeded to leave, but were stopped by Annabelle.

"Wait!" She called to the boy. "We don't even know your name!"

"At least tell us your name." I said, also wanting to know who it is that we saved. The boy then glanced up at the Druid man with curly white hair, before looking at us.

"My name is Mordred." He said, and I nodded while Annabelle smiled at him softly.

"Good luck, Mordred." I said, and he gave me a nod with a small smile.

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

_Thank you, Ketziyaa. We will remember this. _I heard the voice of the elder Druid in my mind, and I gave him a subtle nod, before my eyes rested on Mordred.

_Thank you, Ketziyaa. _I heard his voice, and I gave him a small smile, before Arthur and I both turned around to walk back to our horses, while talking comfortably with each other.

"We should stop to make camp." I said, and Arthur nodded in agreement. The horses need to rest, and so do we."

"We should also eat something." He said, and I smiled.

"Thankfulky, Gwen was generous enough to make us some sandwiches." I said, and chuckled as Arthur's eyes lit up.

"Please tell me she's a good cook." He pleaded, the mocking begging clear in his tone, making me smirk.

"She's amazing."

"Oh, thank God!" Arthur exclaimed, making me laugh.

"I think I saw a clearing about 10 minutes from here. Someone must have made camp there not too long ago because I saw some firewood there as well." I said, and Arthur nodded.

"Alright, let's move." He said as we reached the horses. I walked over to Morgana's horse and untied it from the branch, while Arthur walked over to me after checking his horse's hooves. "May I?" He asked me, and I nodded, letting him gently pick me up by my waist and help me mount. Once I was settled I gave him a warm smile, which he returned before mounting his own horse.

*10 minutes later*

"Over here!" I called to Arthur as I pointed to the clearing on our right, making him nod and pull the reigns of his horse, directing it towards the clearing while I did the same with Morgan's horse. Arthur then dismounted his horse before tying the reigns to a branch, while I directed Morgana's horse over to him so that both horses could be by each other. As I neared him, the Prince walked over to and helped me dismount once again, making me give him a smile in thanks. He then walked over to the wood that was still stuck neatly and ready to be lit up as a campfire, while I tied the reigns of Morgana's horse to a branch next to the one Arthur's horse was tied to. I looked over at Arthur as I checked the horse's hooves, and saw him struggling with lighting the fire, since the wood was slightly wet. I quickly glanced at his face to make sure he wasn't looking at me, before my eyes flashed gold and the firewood lit up on fire. I then grabbed the some of the sandwiches Gwen made for us as Arthur settled himself down on the ground and leaned his back against a big log, before walking over to him and planting myself on the ground next to him, handing him a sandwich.

"Finally!" He exclaimed, making me chuckle.

After we finished eating, Arthur and I talked for about 30 minutes. I couldn't help but wonder... How is it possible for me to be so comfortable around the Prince of Camelot? I didn't even notice how cold I was until I clasped my hands together because I noticed they were shaking. It was freezing. Suddenly I felt something warm slide across my shoulders, and looked over, only to see Arthur putting his arm around me slowly, leaving me time to pull away if I had something against it. But I didn't. The warmth radiating off of him was incredibly tempting, so I moved closer to him and rested my head in the crook of his neck, forgetting that this is a Prince I'm sitting next to. Although just like me, Arthur didn't seem to mind.

"It was very brave of you to help Mordred." He said, and I lifted my head slightly to look at him."Not many would have done what you have." I shook my head.

"It was nothing." I said, but Arthur gave me a look.

"It wasn't nothing." He said. "If you were caught, my father would execute you as a traitor."

"I didn't really care, to be honest." I said, and when I looked into his eyes, I almost told him the truth. I almost told him that I wasn't scared because I've grown used to having a death threat hanging over my head every single day. But, thankfully, I realized just in time what I was about to do. "I wasn't about to let an innocent child get killed for who he is. I doubt he chose to be like this." Was all I said, before we both dropped the subject and started talking about different things.

*The Next Day*

My eyes fluttered open at the sound of birds chirping, and I glanced around, noticing that it was now day. I tried to sit up, but something stopped me from doing so. I looked down, only to see Arthur's arm around my waist. It was also then that I noticed that my head was resting on his chest. Oh God.

Arthur must have felt me stir, as his eyes opened tiredly, but widened slightly at how close we were. Once he noticed that his arm was around my waist, he immediately pulled away.

"Sorry." He apologized as we both sat up, and I shook my head with a small smile.

"It's alright." I assured before looking around again. "We must have dozed off."

"Yeah." Arthur nodded in agreement, before a confused look crossed his face. "Why on Earth am I still so tired?" He mumbled to himself, making me chuckle quietly.

"Probably because it's nor even noon yet and we fell asleep around dawn." I said, making him groan, which made me chuckle again. After a few more minutes of just comfortable silence, Arthur got up and offered me his hand, which I took gratefully as he helped me stand up. We then looked around to make sure that we weren't missing anything, before walking over to the horses, which looked well rested. We untied the reigns from the branches, before Arthur helped me mount once again.

The ride back to Camelot was at least 30 minutes shorter during day than it was during night, since we could see clearly where we were going. Once the castle came into our sight, Arthur told me to ride first, while he waited for about 20 minutes, so that it wouldn't look like we were together. I nodded in approval at his idea, and smiled at him one more time before clucking Morgana's horse and galloping towards Camelot. But even though I was incredibly happy that Mordred was safe, I still couldn't help but feel a little sad that my time with Arthur was over.

* * *

**Well, I hope you liked this chapter. So, what did you all think about this episode? What do you think about Annabelle's connection and bond with Mordred? What do you think about Arthur and Annabelle growing closer? Please leave your thoughts in the reviews!**


	55. Crown Prince of Camelot

**Thank you all so much for your reviews! I would like to address two of them:**

**hateme101**** \- Well, here's the thing: I've read hundreds of stories where Merlin's sister is always less powerful than him, sometimes has an equal amount of power. But I wanted my character to be different so that the same idea wouldn't be repeated in all of "Merlin" fan-fictions. Besides, there's a purpose for that. And believe me when I say that Merlin is still just as important as he was in the show, just for a different purpose.**

**As for your other review, I know that it's really popular on this website to have each episode one chapter, but that's really difficult for me to do, because I'm simply not comfortable with doing it, not to mention the readers would have to wait much longer for an update, and I don't want that.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Do you solemnly swear to govern the people of this kingdom and its dominions, according to the status, customs, and laws lied down by your forbears?" King Uther asked his son as Arthur knelt in front of him. Merlin, Gwen, and I were now standing to the side in the throne room, where Arthur's becoming of age ceremony was taking place. He is now 21 years of age, but this time is different from any other birthday. The whole council has gathered, as well as all the Knights of Camelot, Gaius, and Morgana. The noblemen and women have also arrived in the castle to see this.

"I do, Sire." He swore in front of us as he looked up at Uther.

"Do you promise to exercise mercy, and justice in your deeds and judgments?" Uther asked.

"I do, Sire." Arthur said.

"And do you swear allegiance to Camelot?" The King asked as he held the royal scepter in front of Arthur with his left hand. "Now, and for as long as you shall live?" Arthur gripped the scepter with his right hand.

"I, Arthur Pendragon, do pledge life and limn to your service." Arthur said in a strong voice, and I couldn't help the small proud smile that made its way on my lips. Seems that Merlin had the same problem, as he looked at his master in pride. I glanced at Gwen, who was looking up at my brother with a small smile, and we shared a smirk, knowing that no matter how much Merlin complains, he is proud of Arthur. "And to the protection of the kingdom and its peoples." Arthur continued his vow, and to my shock, Uther also smiled proudly down at his son. Arthur then held the scepter by his own, as Uther turned to one of the servants and took the crown that lied on the pillow he was holding in both hands, walking back to stand in front of Arthur again.

"Now, being of age, and heir apparant from hence forth, you shall be Crown Prince of Camelot." King Uther said as he placed the crown on Arthur's head, before immediately joining the applause that followed. Gwen, Merlin, and I all clapped with smiles, some bigger than the others. Uther and Morgana also smiled at Arthur as he stood up and turned around to look at his people. Gaius was standing a little in the back behind Uther, and was also clapping with a proud smile, watching Arthur like his own son. Arthur smiled at everyone, before looking at me. I smiled at him happily and clapped a little louder, making his smile grow as well.

I suddenly remembered the first time I met Arthur. I thought he was just a spoiled, arrogant prat, but he proved to be much more than that. He's not that foolish and selfish boy anymore. He is now a mature, kind and intelligent man. The memory of my birthday celebration two months ago clouded my mind, and my grin changed into a soft smile. I know how loyal Arthur is to his father, and yet he deceived the King in order to let me have a real 18th birthday. I was honored.

"So how does it feel to be servant to the crowned Prince of Camelot?" Gwen snapped me out of my thoughts by asking Merlin with a small smile, making me look at my brother, who looked at her with a loving gaze.

"Washing his royal socks will be even more of a privilege." Merlin replied, trying not to let the proud smile form on his lips. Gwen and I both chuckled as we shared a look.

"You're proud of him, really." I said with a smile as I looked at my brother. "Even though you complain about him constantly."

"I am not." Merlin said stubbornly.

"You are." Gwen said as she looked up at him with a small grin. "I can see it on your face."

"Those socks are very clean." Merlin said as he looked at me and Gwen. "Of course I'm proud of them." Gwen and I both laughed, knowing the truth. Merlin is proud of Arthur more than he will ever show to anyone.

Our laughs and smiles were cut short as the glass of the window at the very back of the room on the opposite side of the royal stand shattered with a loud noise. Everyone's heads whipped in that direction, only to let us see that a the window shattered because a black clad knight on a black horse, who burst into the hall. He wore everything in the dark, black color, and his black shield held the crest of a silver eagle. It was impossible for me to see his face though, because it was entirely covered by his metal, scraped helmet. The people closest to the window fell down because of the impact, while people a little further away, including me, Gwen and Merlin, turned away and covered their heads so that the glass shards wouldn't cut the skin on their faces. Gwen somehow slipped and nearly fell, but I caught her by her arms.

"Are you alright?" I asked worriedly, and she nodded, regaining her balance, while Merlin walked over to the both of us and pushed us behind him protectively. Arthur, Uther, and the Knights all unsheathed their swords, and the Prince looked over at me, silently asking me if I'm alright, to which I nodded reassuringly.

"What in the devil's name?" Uther exclaimed quietly, walking forward so that he would be standing next to his son as the black horse slowly walked forward, ignoring everyone around him, even though everyone except for me, Gwen, Merlin, the Knights, Gaius, Uther, and Morgana ran away in fear and huddled in a tight group by the exit, wanting to see what was going to happen next but to also have an easy escape if things got out of hand. The knight then stopped right in front of Arthur and Uther, and took off his gauntlet before throwing it onto the floor at the King's feet. A challenge to a duel.

Arthur looked up from the gauntlet and stared at the knight, before sheathing his sword and proceeding to pick up the gauntlet. However, one of the knights beat him to it.

"I, Sir Owain, accept your challenge." Owain said, and the knight looked at him.

"Single combat. Noon tomorrow. To the death." The knight said in an echoing and frightening voice as his horse stood on its hind legs, before turning the horse around and leaving the same way he came in.

*Late in the Evening*

The rest of the evening was quiet, as no one dared to speak about the mysterious knight. However, I did not miss the look both Gaius and Uther had on their faces. Disbelief and shock. As if they recognized the knight but couldn't believe that it actually was him. I lifted the hem of my dress and started walking up the stairs that led to my and Merlin's room, with my brother following closely behind, but stopped in my tracks and turned around to look at Gaius, who was preparing a sleeping drought for Morgana.

"Have you ever seen this black knight before?" I asked, and Merlin also turned to look at Gaius.

"I don't believe so." Gaius replied, not looking up, which let me believe that he wasn't telling the truth.

"You didn't happen to recognize his crest?" I pressed, and Gaius finally turned to look at me and Merlin.

"Crest?" He asked, as if he wasn't knowing what I was talking about. But I know him too well. He knows something.

"Which House is it?" Merlin inquired, referring to the Houses of Knighthood.

"I'm not sure." Gaius replied. "I didn't see it that clearly."

"Yeah, but he's not someone you'd forget in a hurry, is he?" I continued as Gaius walked over to the other table to get another mixture needed to complete the drought.

"No." He answered after he glanced at us.

"So you don't think he's from around here?" Merlin asked, leaning against the wall.

"Doesn't seem likely." Gaius said as he walked back towards the pot he was preparing the potion in.

"Then what's he doing here?" I asked, and Gaius sighed before looking at me.

"Annabelle, your faith in my all-seeing knowledge is both touching and curtly misplaced. Maybe if you and Merlin finished your work you could go to bed and leave me to finish mine."

"Okay, okay." I lifted my hands up in surrender. "I'm going." I said after I realized that I was still supposed to go to Morgana, and started walking towards the door while Merlin proceeded to go to our room. "Gaius?" I blurted out, turning around to face our guardian once again.

"Annabelle." He nearly groaned as he turned to look at me.

"Do you think Owain can beat him?" I asked in a small voice, and Gaius's eyes softened.

"We'll find out soon enough." I nodded, accepting the answer, before walking out the door and heading to Morgana.

As I opened the door to Morgana's chambers, I was welcomed with the sight of Morgana and Arthur arguing while Gwen stood off to the side.

"He shouldn't have picked up the gauntlet!" Arthur exclaimed as I walked over to stand next to Gwen.

"So put an end to it." Morgana said.

"The challenge has been taken. Now the fight cannot be stopped." Arthur said in a regretful tone. His eyes fell on me, and I gave him a small smile, trying to comfort him in some way, since I know how much he cares about each one of his Knights.

"Then fight in his place." Morgana said as if it were obvious. But I don't think she knows the Knights' Code very well. Either way, her request made me tense in worry for Arthur, even though I know he cannot fight the knight.

"I can't." Arthur hissed.

"Why not?!"

"Owain is the one who picked up the gauntlet, Morgana." I said as I stepped forward, making the two look at me. "That means Owain is the one who has to fight." Arthur looked surprised that I knew that, but nodded in agreement and turned to look at Morgana again.

"Annabelle's right." He said in a softer tone. "That's the Knights' Code. Owain knew that." He then proceeded to leave, but was stopped by Morgana's pleading voice.

"But it's a fight to the death!" Arthur stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around. Only glanced at us.

"I know."


	56. Confidence and Pride

**Thank you all so much for your reviews! Sorry for the wait, but, for some ridiculous reason, I couldn't access my account for the past few days.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I took a deep breath while holding the knob with my hand, trying to stop my other hand from shaking, before opening the doors to Arthur's chambers, where I saw him, Merlin, and Owain. The three men turned around to look at me as they heard the door open and smiled at me, while I smiled in return as I walked up to them.

"How are you holding up, Owain?" I asked kindly, giving the knight a small smile. I befriended all of the Camelot Knights, including Owain, and I honestly feared for his life at the moment.

"I'm absolutely fine, Annabelle." He assured, before smiling at me again. "What about you? You seem nervous."

"I am." I admitted, before holding up a red stripe of cloth. "I thought you could wear it today. For luck." Owain smiled and grabbed the cloth from me.

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

Arthur looked over at Annabelle and Owain as they smiled at each other, and felt a jealousy swirl in his stomach. However, his eyes also held pain, as Annabelle smiling at another man was just another reminder that she and Arthur can never be together. And that hurt the Prince more than anything.

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Thank you." Owain said with a smile as he held the cloth in his hand. "I shall wear it with pride. But I won't need luck." I shook my head slowly, looking down.

"Don't be so sure about that." I muttered.

"Sorry?" Owain raised his eyebrow as Merlin and Arthur shared a look.

"Owain, don't be too confident." I said. "It might be the death of you."

"Annabelle, you don't know what it's like to be a Knight." Owain said gently, before looking at me with a small smile. "I'll be fine." He then proceeded to leave, but I grabbed his arm as he passed me and forced him to stop.

"Listen to me, Owain." I said harshly while holding his arm tightly. "This isn't like any fight you've had before. This is a fight to the death, not a play-fight with wooden sticks!" I exclaimed. "Don't let your confidence take over your mind. Think with your head, Owain! Not your pride."

*15 minutes later*

The deadly silence was interrupted by the sound of drums being played by some of the Camelot guards as the King made his way up onto the royal stand, while Arthur and Owain walked out onto the arena. Uther sat down in his throne as he stared at the Black Knight, who was standing as still as a statue while holding his sword by the hilt with both hands and keeping the end of the blade stuck in the ground, and the rest of us followed suit. Merlin, who was walking behind Arthur and Owain, stopped to stand next to Gaius, while the Knight and the Prince continued. Arthur said something to Owain quietly, before walking over to stand in front of the royal stand, while Owain and the Black Knight faced each other.

"The fight will be to the Knights' rules!" Arthur announced, and hesitated for a second before continuing. "To the death!" He then made his way over to the stands. I gave him a small but nervous smile as he passed me, and he returned it, before sitting down on his father's left, while one of the Camelot guards took off Owain's cloak. Owain then handed the guard his sheathed sword so that he could put on his helmet, before grabbing it again, this time unsheathed, and getting into the fighting stance. The Black Knight then twirled his sword around professionally, before also getting into the fighting stance. "Let battle commence!" As soon as these words left Arthur's lips, the Black Knight charged at Owain, hitting his shield with the sword repeatedly. I cringed at every blow, and felt Morgana's hand grab mine in worry.

The crowd made a small noise as the Black Knight slammed his sword against Owain's shield incredibly hard, making him stagger backwards. Thankfully, Owain recovered quickly and deflected the next blow. After a second or two, the knight hit Owain's head with his sword, but the helmet kept Owain from any harm other than the ringing in his ears.

"Come on, Owain." Gwen mumbled worriedly, making me grab her hand with my other one and squeeze it reassuringly. Although the truth is that I'm not sure if I did it for her comfort, or mine.

The Black Knight tried to slice Owain's stomach, but the Camelot Knight quickly dodged the blow and held up his shield as the Black Knight slammed his sword against it multiple times. I gasped quietly as the Black Knight slammed his sword against Owain's shield with immense force, nearly making him fall down. The crowd also made a noise, and some people even stood up to get a better view of what was happening. At one point, Owain had enough time to collide his sword with the Black Knight's, but he only got three hits before the knight kicked him in the chest, making him fall down while everyone in the crowd, including me, Morgana, and Gwen, gasped in worry. The Black Knight tried to land the final blow, but Owain quickly rolled over and got back on his feet. The Black Knight didn't seem tired at all, and continued to hit Owain's shield with huge amount of force.

"One well-aimed blow!" Arthur called to Owain in an urgent and worried voice as Owain was pushed onto the ground once again. The Camelot Knight, hearing his Prince's call, managed to get up slightly so that he was kneeling on one knee, and blocked the Black Knight's attack with his shield above his head. He then saw the opportunity, and stabbed the Black Knight in the stomach. I gave a sigh of relief, and felt a smile tug on the corners of my lips.

"Yes!" I heard Merlin's voice faintly, but my brows furrowed when the Black Knight simply twirled his sword around and stood his ground, not even grunting in pain. As if he didn't even feel the blade pierce his body.

The Black Knight then attacked with much more force than before, eventually pushing Owain to the ground. After another blow or two, the Black Knight brought his knee up and hit Owain in the face, making him fall down from his sitting up position and the helmet fall off his head. Owain was still in shock from the hard blow, and didn't have the strength to get back up; but it was too late either way. The Black Knight now stood above him, and grabbed his sword with both of his hands, before piercing Owain's heart with the blade.

The crowd gasped and many turned around, as did Gwen and Morgana, but my eyes were glued to Owain's now dead and bloody form on the ground. My eyes filled with tears of pain as I lost a good friend, and the only thing I could see was the token I gave him on the ground, being gently pushed by the wind.

Everyone was dead silent, and Arthur and Uther kept their gazes on the floor, not looking up. I could see that Arthur, especially, was trying to fight off the tears of anger and sorrow as the Black Knight simply walked over to standing the middle of the arena once again and took off his gauntlet.

"Who will take up my challenge?" His voice rang through his scraped helmet as he threw the gauntlet onto the ground in front of the royal stand, before grabbing his sword by the hilt with both hands and sticking the sharp end of the blade, which was stained with the blood of my friend, into the ground. I saw rage bubble up in Arthur, and my heart flipped as he got up as fast as lighting, and tried to jump over the wooden barrier.

I didn't know whether to be thankful or not when Uther stopped him by grabbing his shoulder roughly, but another knight, who was also a good friend of mine, jumped over the wooden barrier and picked up the gauntlet.

"I, Sir Pellinore, take up the challenge."

"So be it." The Black Knight said, before his covered eyes snapped to Uther. He then simply walked away as Arthur, who was breathing heavily and fuming with rage, shook his father's hand off his arm. I blinked away the tears and stood up, not letting either Morgana or Gwen stop me, and left the stands to walk over to Merlin and Gaius. As I stopped next to them, my eyes glued on the Black Knight who was slowly walking away, Merlin put his arm around me comfortingly but also stared at the mysterious knight.

"Shouldn't you tend to his wounds?" Merlin asked Gaius, making our guardian look at him weirdly.

"He took a hit." I said, agreeing with Merlin.

"Owain didn't land a blow." Gaius said, confused by our point.

"No, I saw it." Merlin said, and I nodded.

"So did I. The sword definitely pierced him."

"Are you sure?" Gaius asked, although he wasn't very skeptical, which confused me slightly.

"Our eyes are quicker than yours." I said, glancing at him before returning to staring at the Black Knight's retreating back. "He should be dead."

"Perhaps he already is."


	57. A Wraith

**Well, I hope you like this chapter!**

**Reviews:**

**hateme101**** \- I have to say this is one of my favorite episodes of season 1. I loved how the Excalibur was introduced, and I loved how intense the whole episode was. I really liked it. Although it was definitely sad. And what made it even more so was Arthur's face when he saw his knights perish.**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Merlin asked skeptically as he, Gaius, and I started walking down the stairs that led into the underground royal and noble crypt. The place was built in order to bury the noblemen, noblewomen, and royals and their families of Camelot.

"You're not scared, are you?" Gaius joked dryly, and I knew that he was still hiding something.

"No, no." Merlin replied sarcastically. "Old crypts; will we be seeing dead anywhere else?" We all whipped around and I jumped slightly as the entrance door suddenly slammed shut behind us with a loud noise, leaving us in complete darkness, seeing as the only light was the one coming through the opening that let the strays of sunlight in.

"Must have been a gust of wind." Gaius stated. "We should have brought a torch." He said as we tried to see something in the darkness. I saw a dark shape from the corner of my eye, and realized that it was an unlit torch in a metal stand.

"Leohtbora." I said as I raised my hand in the direction of the torch, and my eyes flashed gold while the torch lit on fire.

"Huh." Gaius noted with a small smile and a slightly amazed voice. "Handy."

"Yes." I grinned, before Merlin grabbed the torch and led the way down, allowing me and Gaius to see where we were going.

Gaius now led the way as we walked around the many graves in the royals' families section of the crypts.

"What are we looking for?" I asked as Merlin walked closely behind me.

"Bring your torch over here." Gaius ordered and we turned to see him standing by one of the crypts a meter or two away from us.

"We're breaking into someone's grave." Merlin said in a slightly disbelieving voice as we followed Gaius a little further. To be honest, I never thought we would ever do something like this either. Gaius suddenly slowed down and I walked over to stand on his other side as Merlin held the torch so that the light shined on the crypt we were looking at. However, this crypt wasn't like the others; it was shattered from the inside out.

"I think someone's already broken out." I said in a shocked voice.

*15 minutes later*

"Tristan de Bois was a brother Ygraine;," Gaius informed me and Merlin as the three of us walked back into his quarters. "Uther's wife."

"Arthur's mother." I said, realizing that we might be facing Arthur's uncle.

"Ygraine died in childbirth." Gaius continued as he walked over to his shelf and grabbed one of the books that was on it. "Tristan blamed Uther, and came to the gates of Camelot and challenged him."

"To a single combat." Merlin said as he put the pieces together, seeing as that is exactly what the Black Knight is doing; he is challenging men to a single combat.

"Uther won." Gaius said as he placed the book on one of the tables. "But in his dying breath, Tristan cursed Camelot to, one day, suffer his return. I thought it was a ramblings of a dying man." Gaius said as he flipped through the pages int he book, while I walked over to stand on his other side.

"Well, men don't rise up from the dead though, no matter how angry they are." I said as Gaius stopped on a particular page in the book, which held a drawing of a skeleton, though it still had some muscles, holding a sword and a shield.

"It's my guess we're dealing with a wraith." Gaius said, making me and Merlin look at him questioningly.

"A wraith?" Merlin asked, having no clue what it is.

"The spirit of a dead man, conjured from the grave." Gaius explained while Merlin and I looked closer at the picture in the book.

"So this is the work of a sorcerer." I stated, seeing as Gaius said that the spirit had to be conjured, and he nodded.

"Powerful magic can harness a grief and rage of a demented soul and make them live again." Gaius informed us as he looked at us gravely.

"How do we stop it?" I asked determinedly.

"We can't." Gaius shook his head. "Because it's not alive, no mortal weapon can kill it."

"There must be something." I pressed.

"Nothing can stop it. Until it has achieved what it came for."

"And what's that?" Merlin asked, and I took a deep breath as realization flooded over me.

"Revenge." I said.

"In Camelot?" Gaius nodded as Merlin's shaky question left my brother's lips.

"What does that mean for Pellinore?" I asked shakily, afraid to loose another friend.

"I'm afraid it doesn't look good." Gaius replied.

*The Next Day, Noon*

I cringed and my fists clenched as the Black Knight, or rather the wraith, slammed his sword against Pellinore's shield with incredible force. Morgana and I both jumped slightly as Pellinore collided his sword with the wraith's, but smiled, while the crowd cheered, as he slammed his shield in the Black Knight's face, which was covered with the old helmet. Pellinore attacked again, and jumped back slightly to avoid the slash that was aimed at his stomach. The swords collided again, and the wraith managed to push Pellinore back roughly with his two swords slammed against one another in the air, and the crowd gasped anxiously. Eventually, Pellinore pulled his sword back and slammed his shield against the wraith's sword, making the people in the crowd cheer. The Camelot Knight then pushed the wraith's sword out of his way and strongly moved his sword, nearly slashing the Black Knight's stomach, making the crowd cheer once again.

The two Knights circled each other for a few seconds, before Tristan slammed his sword against Pellinore's. The Black Knight tried to slash my friend's stomach, but Pellinore, thankfully, jumped out of harm's way. He then blacked the wraith's attack, and stabbed the Knight in the stomach. However, the Knight showed no sign of harm.

"The sword went in, I'm sure of it." Gwen said to me and Morgana with confusion lacing her voice.

"I saw it too." Morgana nodded, but my eyes stayed glued to the two Knights. Pellinore, in his shock, was unable to dodge the blow, and the Black Knight managed to stab him, making some people in the crowd yelp. Pellinore collapsed, and the wraith walked over to stand in the middle of the arena, once again holding his sword by the hilt and sticking the sharp end of the blade into the ground.

I suddenly heard urgent movement further down to my left, and turned to look in that direction, only to see Arthur standing up quickly ad throwing his gauntlet onto the ground before Uther could stop him.

"I, Arthur Pendragon, challenge you!" He called in a strong voice, and my eyes widened in fear. No. No, please no.

"So be it." The wraith's voice came from beneath the helmet.

"Single combat. Noon. Tomorrow." Arthur instructed, and the Black Knight simply grabbed his sword so that the blade would rest against his shoulder, before walking away.

*15 minutes later*

"You were right." I said to Gaius I walked into his head quarters after saying goodbye to Gwen and Morgana.

"I wish I wasn't." Gaius replied gravely.

"If Arthur fights that thing, he'll die." I stressed, walking over to stand next to Merlin.

"Well, he is Camelot's strongest warrior." Gaius said. "If anyone can defeat it, he can."

"You said it yourself; no mortal weapon can kill it." Merlin said, making Gaius look down.

"So that means we have to find a way to defeat the wraith ourselves." I said, agreeing with my brother.

"How do you propose we do that?" Gaius asked in interest.

"If no mortal sword can kill it..." I trailed off as I ran to my and Merlin's room and grabbed our book of magic before running back to stand next to Merlin again. "Then we will." I said and glanced at Merlin, before flipping through the pages of the book. "Immortal magic."

"Annabelle, it's too dangerous." Gaius said.

"We don't have a choice." I said as I looked up at him, and saw his worried gaze.


	58. The Living and the Dead

**Thank you all for your reviews and support! I hope you like this chapter! Get ready for some Arthur/Annabelle.**

**Reviews:**

**Guest**** \- Thank you. Well, Uther was cruel, and for him killing anything of magic pretty much WAS a "walk in the park". Also, thank you for your suggestion, but I definitely do not plan to write a Morgana love story. I am absolutely horrible at writing stories like that. And sorry for so many chapters per episode (it will get shorter as we go further into the show) but it's much easier for me to write like that, not to mention that also means that my readers don't have to wait as long for an update. Also, yes I thought to make Nimueh poison Anna at first, but hurting Merlin was a way more effective way to hurt HER, seeing as Anna cares about Merlin more than anyone, and is quite selfless.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

It was now very late and dark as Merlin and I made our way to the outside of the castle, where the Black Knight was standing ever since the end of the duel. He didn't move an inch, still holding his torn flag with his crest, looking up at the castle. Merlin and I shared a glance before stopping by the gate that led out of the Citadel, seeing as we were now at the outer part of the castle grounds. I nodded to Merlin, and he nodded back, swallowing nervously, before raising his hand and positioning his palm in the wraith's direction.

Merlin and I had a talk earlier. He told me that he is the one who is supposed to do this, as it is his destiny to protect Arthur. I told him that it is also my destiny, but he insisted that my destiny is to not only protect Arthur, but the whole of Camelot, while his destiny is to protect Arthur at all costs, and only help me protect Camelot. I started to object, but Merlin finally put what he wanted to say as blunt as possible; he told me that I am his responsibility, his younger sister, and that using immortal magic is incredibly dangerous. And he wants to be the one to do it in order to protect me from any harm. After hearing all these touching words, I decided to let him do what he wanted to do, but under one condition; I was to go with him.

"Cume her fyrbryne." Merlin's eyes flashed gold, and a trail of fire formed at our feet before traveling down towards the wraith and forming a circle around it, similar to the one Edwin conjured when he tried to kill Gaius. The Knight was now int he very middle of the circle, and the flames grew higher, entirely engulfing him. However, he didn't even twitch. Nothing. Merlin and I shared a shocked and a slightly panicked look, as the flames started to die down, until they were completely gone, and the Black Knight still unharmed.

"Oh, my God." I whispered in shock and fear, knowing that Arthur will have to fight that thing tomorrow. I don't know if the wraith heard me, or if it already knew that we were there simply because of the fire that Merlin conjured, but its head snapped to look at us. I didn't even have time to comprehend what actually happened, before Merlin grabbed my hand and pulled me behind him, running back to the Citadel.

*25 minutes later*

"It didn't work." I said as I sat next to Gaius, waiting for Merlin to come back, seeing as he went to Arthur to try to convince him to withdraw. "Nothing. He didn't even react, and that was fire, Gaius."

"Wraiths don't feel physical pain." Gaius looked at me with a solemn gaze. "Because they are not alive, they do not feel." I sighed, and covered my face with my hands.

"How is Arthur supposed to fight a thing that can't be killed? He may be the greatest warrior in Camelot, but he will grow tired eventually. And the wraith will only wait for an opportunity to drive his sword through him." Gaius opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the doors opening with a loud noise as they slammed against the wall, and Merlin running in, nearly out of breath.

"I know what to do." Was all he said, before grabbing my hand and nearly dragging me off the bench and out the door.

"Merlin, where are we going?" I asked as we ran through the hallways.

"I went to the library, and Geoffrey told me that there was once a sword that could kill both the living and the dead." Merlin started explaining as he finally slowed down enough in order for us to walk instead of running. "That sword had to be forged in a dragon's breath." He lowered his voice, and looked at me with a small smile.

"We already have a Dragon." I also smiled. "All we need is a sword." Merlin nodded.

"Which is why we're going to visit your friend." He said as we arrived in front of the doors that led to the room in the castle that Gwen was staying in for some nights in case she wanted to be close by if Morgana had more nightmares, seeing as Gaius's head quarters war fairly far away, and my and Merlin's room was even a little further away, and I wouldn't be able to hear if Morgana was having a nightmare. To make sure that Gwen didn't trouble herself too much, we would take turns in watching over Morgana; she would stay close one week, and I would take her place the next week. If, although it happened very rarely, Morgana had any sleep without nightmares, Gwen and I would take the opportunity to take a break and sleep in our own beds for a night or two, before going back to watching over our best friend and making sure she is alright.

I noticed Merlin hesitating, and saw him lift his fist up in order to knock before dropping it back to his side at least five times, before I sighed in irritation.

"Stop being a coward." I teased. "It's Gwen; she won't bite." I then knocked on the door quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone else, seeing as it was late and many people in the castle were already sleeping.

"Merlin." Gwen immediately smiled as she opened the door. "Anna. What are you two doing here?"

"We've come to ask a favor." I started.

"Yes?" She smiled, and Merlin stepped forward after clearing his throat nervously.

"I'm not sure how to ask you it." He said, and Gwen's brows furrowed for a second before she smiled at him softly.

"Ask, Merlin. You know I'd grant you anything." She said kindly, and Merlin nodded as he looked down nervously. I noticed that these two were about to have a small moment, so I quietly took a few steps back. "I mean... Not anything. Obviously not anything." Gwen chuckled, and Merlin smiled nervously before leaning closer to her. "What is it you want?"

"I've come to ask for a sword." He whispered. "The strongest sword your father's ever made."

"What for?" Gwen also whispered, curiously.

"To save Arthur." I finally stepped forward, which seemed to startle them. If it were any other circumstances, I would have smiled and chuckled, thinking it was sweet that these two were so entranced with each other that they forgot anyone else around them, but this situation was incredibly urgent and I didn't have time for anything like this.

Gwen must have heard the urgency in my voice, and nodded.

"Alright. Come with me." She said as she walked out of the room and closed the door, before leading us through the hallway.

"Actually," I stopped, making them stop as well. "Merlin, why don't you go? There's something I have to do." I wasn't lying, but at the same time I wanted my brother and friend to spend some time together; on their own.

"Alright." Merlin gave me a questioning look, but seemed happy that he got the chance to be alone with Gwen, and nodded before following Gwen, while I turned in the direction of Arthur's chambers.

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"Come!" Arthur called in a monotone voice, still staring at the Black Knight that was standing outside his window. He heard the door open, and close a moment later. Then, he heard light footsteps coming his way, which made him eventually tear his gaze away from the window. "Annabelle." He smiled a small smile, his eyes lighting up.

"How are you feeling?" She inquired kindly, and Arthur sighed before smiling at her.

"As can be expected." He answered, and she smiled a small understanding smile before walking over to him and sitting on the window seat next to him.

"Arthur, I-"

"Don't say you think I shouldn't fight tomorrow." He interrupted her. "I've heard it all evening. First from my father, then your brother, and then Morgana. I don't think I would be able to take any more."

"Alright." Annabelle nodded with a small smile. "Then I won't tell you what I was originally going to say." Arthur sighed in relief, but froze as he felt her soft hand cover his, before feeling himself relax at her touch. "But I am going to tell you to be careful. You are the Crown Prince of Camelot, Arthur. And we cannot afford to loose you." She took a deep breath before looking into his beautiful blue eyes. "I cannot loose you." Arthur took a deep breath, realizing that she truly mean what she was saying. "And although I honestly would prefer you to withdraw... I understand that you indeed have no choice but to fight."

"It is my duty to my kingdom." Arthur nodded, glad beyond belief that someone finally understood. "To my People."

"I understand." Annabelle nodded, before standing up, Arthur following suit. "All I'm asking of you, is that you be careful. That you live, and come out victorious. Don't let the anger and sorrow of loosing your Knights take over your mind, because then you won't be able to concentrate. And you will loose." Arthur smiled at her, before taking her hand in his gently.

"I can promise you that I will not go down without a fight." He said, but smiled softly as he saw tears glisten in her eyes. "And I will achieve victory. For you." Annabelle smiled through her tears, before getting a hold of herself and nodding her head.

"I know you will. I believe in you." After a second or two of just looking into each other's eyes, Annabelle reminded herself that she had to meet with Merlin. "I, um... I have to go." She nearly whispered.

"Of course." Arthur nodded, disappointment filling him. But he didn't let it show. He didn't show how much he loved spending time with her. Instead, he kissed her hand, and she curtsied before walking out.


	59. Excalibur

**I hope you like this chapter!**

**Reviews:**

**Guest**** \- Thank you! Yeah, I loved writing that scene. There's more coming soon!**

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"Thank you, Gwen." Merlin smiled at his friend as he picked up the beautifully made sword wrapped in a red cloth, and stood up from where he was kneeling on the floor by Guinevere's bed.

"I'm glad I could help." Guinevere also smiled, feeling butterflies swirl in her stomach as Merlin looked at her with what she hoped was love in his eyes. She stood up from her place on the other side of the bed, and walked over to stand in front of him. "Merlin..." She started, but trailed off as he hesitantly took her hand in his gently.

"Gwen... There's something I've been waiting for a while now to tell you." Merlin said, taking advantage of being alone with Guinevere, which wasn't common. He was always either with Arthur, Gaius, or Annabelle, and she was always with either Morgana, or Annabelle. The two of them rarely found a chance to be alone like they were now and, though they were both incredibly nervous, they wanted to make the best of it. "I-" Unfortunately for them both, the door to Guinevere's house opened and Annabelle stepped in, but stopped abruptly at the sight of her brother and friend so close.

"Am I interrupting something?" She asked innocently, even though she started to feel slight guilt as she realized that she most probably ruined her brother's chance to confess his feelings for Gwen. Merlin looked at her with a small amount of annoyance in his eyes, but Gwen quickly smiled and shook her head.

"No, no." She lied. "Of course not."

"Alright." Annabelle said skeptically, before looking at her older brother. "Are you ready?" Merlin, although disappointed, nodded with a small smile and walked over to his sister, ready to leave.

"Goodnight, Gwen." He said warmly before stepping outside, while Annabelle shot Guinevere a small apologetic look.

"Sorry." She whispered, but Gwen only shook her head with a small smile.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. There's nothing going on between me and Merlin." And though her tone sounded convincing, Annabelle didn't miss the fact that Guinevere and Merlin were holding hands.

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V., 10 Minutes Later*

"No matter what you say, I still am sorry for interrupting." I said for the tenth time as Merlin shook his head.

"Nothing was happening." He protested as we slowly started making our way down to the dungeons.

"I don't believe you." I said quietly, my voice changing into a whisper as we checked for the guards. Like always, there were two, but I quickly distracted them by muttering a simple spell that made one of the cells' bar doors slam shut with a loud noise, which made the guards immediately leave to check what happened. As soon as they disappeared from out line of view, Merlin and I quickly made our way down the stairs and my brother grabbed a torch off a wall before the two of us quickly and quietly walked towards the entrance to the Great Dragon's cave. We quickly walked down the stairs, and made a few familiar turns, before entering the gigantic cave.

"Annabelle." The Great Dragon, who was lying on the big stones in front of us, acknowledged. "Merlin."

"Do you know why we're here?" Merlin asked, and the Dragon leaned in a little closer.

"It may surprise you, Merlin, but my knowledge of your and your sister's lives is not universal."

"It has to do with Arthur." I said in an urgent voice. "His life is in danger. He will die, unless we can make a weapon that will kill the dead." I explained as I grabbed the very well-made sword from Merlin and threw the cloth that was wrapped around it aside.

"So what do you two come to ask of me?" The Great Dragon asked as the sword suddenly flew out of my hands and levitated in the air, right in front of his face.

"Will you burnish it?" I asked. "To save Arthur."

"The dead do not return without a reason." The Dragon informed us. "Who has he come for?"

"Uther." I said in a tight voice, knowing that the Great Dragon would love to see Uther dead.

"Then let him take his vengeance." Like I thought he would, the Dragon accepted the thought of the King's death easily. "And the wraith will die without my aid."

"But it's Arthur who's going to fight him." Merlin said. "You have to save him."

"That is your and your sister's destiny, young warlock. Not mine."

"But if Arthur fights the wraith and dies, Camelot will have no heir." I reminded. "We will have no destinies."

"A weapon forged with my assistance have great power." The Great Dragon said.

"We know that." Merlin said.

"You do not know. You can only guess." The Dragon said. "You two have not seen what I have seen. If you had, perhaps you would not ask this of me."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"In the wrong hands this sword could do great evil." The Great Dragon informed us. "It must be wielded by Arthur and him alone. The only other person who can ever use it, is you, Annabelle." I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering why I can wield the sword, and Merlin can't.

"We understand." I nodded.

"You must do more than understand. You two must promise."

"I promise." I said.

"As do I." Merlin agreed. The Dragon then took a small step back and rose his neck higher, which made Merlin push me behind him protectively and take a few steps back. Well, more than a few. After all, the Dragon was about to blow fire on that sword, which was positioned in our direction. As the Great Dragon opened his mouth, Merlin and I both turned our heads and covered our faces with one of our arms, not wanting to get burned.

I heard a loud swoosh, as if someone tried to blow the air out of their mouths while making a lot of noise, and felt heat surround me. However, it was only an addition of a small amount of warmth to the air. It wasn't too much heat, and it wasn't hot, which surprised me and made me slowly look up. My eyes widened and I nudged Merlin, who was still covering his face, as I saw that there seemed to an invisible barrier between us and the sword. The Great Dragon blew fire on the sword, but it only reached as far as the sword. Beyond that, the flames seemed to bounce off an invisible wall, which was a safe distance from us.

I looked at the sword in amazement, seeing the golden engraving on the blade and the hilt. Seeing as the Dragon finished his job, Merlin and I stepped forward once again in order to get a better look at the now magnificent sword, which was still levitating in the air, making it look completely magical.

"Heed my words, Annabelle." The Great Dragon warned. "The sword was forged for you and Arthur. And you two alone."

*The Next Day, Noon*

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and shock, and did everyone else's, as I saw King Uther make his way out onto the arena. Not Arthur. However, my eyes widened not only in shock, but slight fear as well, when I saw that he was holding the sword the Great Dragon made for me and Arthur. Oh, dear.

"You can have what you came for." Uther said to the Black Knight as he stopped to stand next to him. "The father. Not the son." I've always thought that Uther is a tyrant, but seeing him give up his life for Arthur made me start to rethink my judgement. Gwen, Morgana, and I all shared a look as one of the Camelot guards walked up to the King and took off his cloak. Uther then put on his helmet, before grabbing his shield as he and the wraith both twirled their swords around professionally before getting into fighting stances.

As soon as one of the guards gave signal for the battle to commence by hitting the drum, the Black Knight attacked the King. His movements were so quick that all Uther could do was block the blows with either his shield or the sword. Morgana and I both flinched as the wraith tried to slash Uther's abdomen, but the King managed to jump back in time. Gwen grabbed my hand in worry as the wraith slammed its sword down on Uther's shield, but Uther managed to step aside and slam the sword down on Tristan's. The two swords clashed in the air, making the crowd gasp, and my eyes stayed glued to the sword the Dragon helped forge.

The battle continued as Uther blocked all the blows from the wraith, and it came tot he point where Uther had to move around the arena in order to escape the fatal ones. After a second or two, the Black Knight swung his sword at Uther's head, but the King managed to duck and move to the wraith's other side, twirling the sword around. Many people in the crowd, including Morgana, jumped as the Black Knight slammed his sword against Uther's shield with incredible force, but the King punched the wraith in the stomach using his shield. Uther, after blocking the attack with his shield once again, spun around and clashed the sword against the Black Knight's, before pushing the blades down and using the shield to hit the wraith in the head, throwing off its helmet in the process.

Everyone in the crowd gasped as we saw Tristan's real form; a decaying, decrepit walking corpse. The wraith roared angrily, staring at Uther with hatred, but the King attacked. However, the turning point came quickly and Tristan gained advantage as he attacked with new ferocity and clashed his sword with incredible force, eventually knocking Uther to the ground and threw the sword out of his reach. Now, the only thing the King of Camelot could do, was block the blows with his shield. After a few strong hits, Gwen gasped, as did everyone else in the crowd, as she gripped my hand tighter, while Morgana and I covered our mouths in worry when Tristan slammed his sword so hard against Uther's shield that some of it crumbled.

However, thankfully, the sword got stuck in the shield. As Tristan tried to retrieve his weapon, Uther kicked him in the stomach, making his stagger backwards as he held the shield and the sword, while Uther quickly grabbed the sword forged in Dragon's breath, and got back on his feet. As Tristan struggled to retrieve his weapon, Uther saw the chance and ran him through. Everyone gasped and Uther fell back as the wraith gave a scream of defeated rage as he burned from the inside out before bursting into flames.

Uther then stood up, breathing heavily, before he took off his helmet, making everyone get up on their feet as they cheered for the King's victory. However, Morgana, Gwen, and I all stayed seated and didn't move, still in shock or, in my case, worry. I glanced at Merlin, who was standing by the exit of the arena with Gaius, as Uther threw the sword down to the ground. The Great Dragon will be furious.

*Evening*

While Merlin ate dinner in complete silence, I simply stared at my plate. Gaius must have noticed our strange behavior, seeing as he kept glancing at us.

"You two know why I'm looking at you?" He finally asked, making me and Merlin share a glance.

"No." My brother said.

"Uther told me you provided him with a sword today, Merlin. It must have been a very powerful blade to slay the dead. Now, I do not believe for even a second that you, Annabelle, didn't know anything." Gaius said. "Did either of you enchant it?"

"No." I said, telling the truth. "Neither of us did."

"Who did, then?"

"It wasn't us." Merlin said.

"Shame." Gaius said, making us look at him curiously. "It saved the King's life. I would've been very proud of you." As much as I wanted Gaius to be proud of us, I couldn't tell him that we did something we really didn't. Yes, we found out how to save Arthur, or in this case Uther, but we didn't enchant the sword. The Great Dragon did.

"Well-" Merlin started with a small smile, but was cut off by our guardian.

"Never mind." He said as he took a bite of his dinner. Merlin and I glanced at each other before looking back at Gaius, who started to smile widely at us. Perhaps he does know that we had something to do with it. Well, of course he knows! He is Gaius after all.

*Night*

"Annabelle. Merlin." My eyes snapped open as I heard the voice call out. "Annabelle." I sat up in my bed, and glanced at my brother, who was also awake and sitting up. "Annabelle." We shared a look.

"Oh, no." I groaned quietly as I slipped out from underneath the sheets. We are in big trouble.

I quickly put on my cloak and slipped on my shoes, before sharing a glance with Merlin as we walked out of our room and quietly made our way past a sleeping Gaius, leaving the quarters. We then made our way to the dungeons, and distracted the guards once again, before Merlin grabbed a torch and led the way down to the Great Dragon's cave.

"So, does Arthur live?" The Dragon said as a welcome, and we both nodded.

"Yes." I said.

"The sword worked." Merlin said. "It was incredible. Amazing."

"As I promised." The Dragon said almost smugly.

"But..." I trailed off, not wanting to say it.

"Yes?"

"Things didn't quite go according to plan." I said.

"Well, they did, except..." Merlin also trailed off, not wanting to tell the Great Dragon the truth either.

"It wasn't Arthur who wielded the sword." I finally said. "It was Uther."

Merlin and I both staggered backward slightly as the Great Dragon gave a yell and growl of rage and fury.

"I tried but he just took it!" Merlin called over the roars, wanting to explain himself, seeing as he was the one in possession of the sword. "It was the King! I couldn't stop him!"

"The sword was born of the Old Magic." The Dragon said once he calmed down enough to speak instead of roaring. To be honest, I was surprised that the whole castle wasn't woken up by the noise. "You two have no idea of its power. In the hands of Uther, it will bring only evil.

"I'll get it back." Merlin promised.

"You and your sister have betrayed me." The Great Dragon accused, making me feel slightly guilty. I promised him the sword will be wielded either by me or Arthur, and it wasn't wielded by either of us; it was wielded by his biggest enemy. "You are not ready to be trusted."

"I'll bring it to you" Merlin said softly, not wanting to upset him further. "You can destroy it."

"What is made cannot be unmade." The Dragon said.

"So what do you want us to do?" I asked, trying not to let the exasperation into my tone.

"Take the sword far from here." The Great Dragon said. "And place it where no mortal man can ever find it." He ordered, before flying up and away from us.

* * *

*The Next Day, Third Person's P.O.V.*

Annabelle held the sword that was forged by the Great Dragon in her hand as she and Merlin stood in front of the same lake they saw Avalon at. The young sorceress stared at eh golden engravings as she slowly turned the sword to the other side, admiring its magnificence. After a few seconds, she looked at her brother, who gave her a nod, before turning to look at the lake again.

Annabelle then threw the sword with all her might, letting it flow through the air before falling into the crystal clear water. The sword landed on the lake floor as the sorceress and warlock made their way back to Camelot, where it will remain for quite some time.

**So, what did you all think about this episode? What do you think about Annabelle and Arthur growing closer? What do you think about Arthur not being the only one to wield Excalibur? Why do you think Annabelle has the power to do so as well? What do you think this is foreshadowing? Please tell me your thoughts!**


	60. Mother

**Hey, everyone! I hope you like this chapter! "The Moment of Truth" is my favorite episode of season 1, so I hope you like my interpretation of it.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Stop complaining." I laughed at my brother as he grabbed the bucket of water from the water pump by the entrance to the courtyard of the Citadel.

"Anna, if we continue doing all of this, we won't find time to breathe." Merlin nearly whined, making me roll my eyes as the two of us turned around, ready to head back to Gaius. However, I froze in my tracks as I saw a woman making her way towards the castle. She had dark brown hair pinned in a loose bun, and was looking around as if searching for someone. "Anna?" Merlin noticed I stopped, but I just continued to stare at the incredible familiar woman.

"Mother?" I called, and the woman turned to look at me, a smile breaking out on her face.

"Annabelle!" She exclaimed, running over to me and Merlin and immediately throwing her arms around me, giving me a tight and warm hug that only a mother can give.

"Mother?" Merlin asked in disbelief, and she pulled away from me, smiling at my brother before hugging him tightly as well. As they pulled away, I noticed the purple bruise on her cheekbone, very close to her right eye.

"What happened?" I asked, gently touching the bruise, but Mother only looked down.

"Who did this to you?" Merlin demanded, also noticing the bruise, and Mother sighed sadly.

"Kanen attacked." She said, and my eyes widened as I shared a look with Merlin. "He threatened us and intimidated Matthew into giving him our village's entire harvest. We hid some of it in order to survive, but Kanen wants everything and will come back in a few days." I looked at Merlin with determination, before looking at our Mother softly.

"You've come to ask the King for help?" I asked, and she nodded. "I'll try to get you an audience. Why don't you go with Merlin to Gaius?"

"How will you get an audience with the King, Anna?" Mother asked, and I smiled a small smile.

"I won't. But I know someone who will." I said, before quickly walking back towards the castle while Merlin and Mother walked in a slower pace.

After about ten minutes I arrived at my destination and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Came a voice from he other side, and I opened the door before stepping in. "Annabelle." Arthur smiled at me, and I returned it as I walked over to stand in front of where he was sitting at his desk. "Is everything alright?" He asked worriedly, most likely noticing my expression.

"My mother arrived in Camelot." I said as I sat down in the chair Arthur gestured for me to sit in. "Our village has been attacked."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Arthur said, and I shook my head.

"Is there any way you could request an audience with the King? My Mother came to ask for help. Kanen requested Ealdor's entire harvest. If someone won't stop him, everyone in my home, people I grew up with, will starve to death." By now I had tears in my eyes, but forced myself to keep them in.

"Of course." Arthur said, before placing his hand on top of mine. "Tell your mother to come to the throne room in an hour. I will speak to my Father."

"Thank you."

* * *

*1 Hour Later, The Throne Room, Third Person's P.O.V.*

"The winters are harsh in Ealdor." Hunith said as she stood in front of the King of Camelot and his son. "And there are many children. Some of them just won't be strong enough to survive. We barely have enough food as it is, and... If Kanen takes our harvest, our children won't live to see another summer. Please, we need your help."

"Ealdor's in Cenred's kingdom." King Uther said. "Your safety is his responsibility."

"We've appealed to our king, but... He cares little for the outline regions." Hunith swallowed, looking at Uther pleadingly. "You're our only hope."

The King was silent for a long moment as everyone looked at him in anticipation. The nobles of the Court exchanged glances, as did the Knights. Merlin and Gaius both stared at Uther, silently wondering if he will help a small village. Lady Morgana noticed Annabelle's worry, and placed her hand on her best friend's arm discreetly, while Guinevere, who was standing on Annabelle's other side, tried to give her a reassuring smile. After what seemed to Annabelle like forever, the King leaned forwards in his chair.

"I have the deepest sympathy for you." He told Hunith. "And would have this barbarian wiped off the face of the Earth."

"You'll help us?" She asked hopefully, but there was an amount of shock in her voice as well.

"I wish I could." Uther said, making Annabelle take in a deep breath, knowing that once the King made up his mind, there's no changing it. Arthur glanced at her seeing the worry in her eyes, before looking down at his father.

"Surely we can spare a few men." He said, wanting to do all he could in public to help the girl who stole his heart.

"Resources are not the problem." Uther said, leaning back in his throne.

"Then what is?" Lady Morgana asked in a hard tone, hating the fact that her best friend's home has been attacked and her guardian doesn't want to spare a few soldiers in order to help.

"Ealdor lies beyond the ridge of Essetir." The King said. "For an army of Camelot to enter it would be an act of war." Hunith stared at him pleadingly as she got down on her knees.

"I know you're a good king. A caring man. I'm begging you. Help us, please." Her voice cracked at the end and Annabelle eyes filled with tears as she realized how her friends and mother must have suffered.

"The accord we've struck with Cenred was years of making. I cannot risk hundreds of lives for the sake of one village." The King said as Arthur shifted uncomfortably, hating the fact that he couldn't help. "I'm afraid Camelot cannot help." Hunith looked down in tears, and Morgana glared at Uther as she stepped forward and took Hunith's hands in hers, helping her stand, before putting an arm around her and leading her out of the throne room. Guinevere grabbed Annabelle's hand comfortingly, seeing her friend's sadness. Merlin glanced at his sister, before staring intently at the King, hating him now more than ever. Not only has Uther persecuted people like him and his sister, but he refused to help their mother and people in their village, who were very likely to starve. Annabelle looked at Arthur, who gave her an apologetic look as he silently hoped that his father might change his mind, even though he knew deep down that he won't.

* * *

*10 Minutes Later, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Merlin and I walked over to stand next to Arthur, who was overlooking the kingdom from where he was standing on the battlements.

"I'm sorry." He said as Merlin sighed. "If it were up to me, we'd be on our way there now."

"Well, you tried." Merlin shrugged.

"Thank you, Arthur." I said. "For getting the audience with the King."

"I wish that Camelot was able to people regardless of how far away they lived." Arthur said, making me smile softly. He is indeed a great and just man. I'm starting to believe more and more with every passing day that the Great Dragon is right; Arthur will be the once and future King.

"We're going back to Ealdor." I said, and Arthur nodded understandingly.

"It's been an honor serving you." Merlin said, making Arthur look at us with a look I couldn't quite read.

"You'll be coming back." He asked, although it sounded more like a statement as he looked at my brother but glanced at me.

"Well, she's our mother." I said with a small smile.

"We have got to look after her before anyone else." Merlin said as Arthur turned to look at the kingdom instead of us. "You understand."

"I'd do exactly the same." Arthur said with a small understanding smile, before taking a deep breath. "Well... You've been terrible, Merlin. Really, I mean it. The worst servant I've ever had." He said as Merlin and I both chuckled, before looking at him.

"Thank you, Sire." Merlin said with a small grin, knowing as well as I that Arthur is simply joking. Although I don't think Merlin is realizing that Arthur considers him a close friend. With a last smile, Merlin walked away, while I stayed where I was.

"Are you sure it's wise to go back?" Arthur asked, and I looked at him questioningly.

"What do you mean?"

"Kanen won't care that you're a woman. He will be as brutal towards you as he is towards everyone. I don't want you to get hurt." He said worriedly, making me smile softly.

"I'll be alright. You may not know this, but I am quite handy with a sword."

"You are?" Arthur's eyebrows shot up in surprise, making me grin.

"Yes."

"How come I never knew that?"

"Well, there are a lot of things you don't know about me." I said, and Arthur nodded, although he didn't understand the full meaning of what I was saying.

"Either way, I want you to be careful." He said, and I nodded, placing my hand on top of his, which was resting on the stone barrier.

"I will." I promised as I looked into his eyes. I honestly wanted to give him one last hug as a goodbye, but we were in public and anyone could see. "Goodbye, Arthur." I said quietly, before turning around to walk away.

"Annabelle!" Arthur called, making me turn around to look at him. "Good luck." I nodded as he smiled at me, before walking away with a heavy heart, not wanting to leave.

*20 Minutes Later*

"Anna." Gwen smiled at me as I stepping in to her house, seeing Merlin holding a sword quite unprofessionally.

"Hi, Gwen." I smiled. "Is there any way I could have a sword?" I asked.

"Of course." She nodded, before quickly grabbing another sword which was already in its scabbard and handing it to me. "Tell me how it feels." Gwen said, and I unsheathed the sword, before twirling it around couple of times.

"It has an amazing balance." I smiled before sheathing the sword. "Thank you."

"I see you're quite the swords-woman." Gwen smiled, making me chuckle. "I packed some armor for you two." She said, gesturing the the huge bag filled with chain mail tunics as she put one more in there.

"Um, Gwen? I don't think we're going to be able to carry all that." I said.

"You won't have to." Merlin and I both turned around as we heard the familiar voice behind us, only to see Morgana dressed in her boots, tunic and belt, and breeches. "We're coming with you." She said, and my brows furrowed in slight disbelief.

"What do you mean?" I asked, although I'm pretty sure I already know what she means.

"You're going to need all the help you can get." Gwen said. "I can mend armor and sharpen swords."

"And I know how to fight." Morgana said with a small smile.

"But y-y-you can't." Merlin stuttered in shock, glancing between the two of them. "I mean... Why would you?"

"If it was the other way around, you'd help us." Gwen said. "You already have. You two saved my life."

"And you helped me get the Druid boy out of Camelot." Morgana added. "We owe it to you two. Both of us. Not to mention that you, Annabelle, are our best friend. And friends help each other." I smiled at the two of them, before hugging Morgana tightly. She hugged me back just a tight, and I couldn't believe what amazing friends I have.

*1 Hour Later*

"You've got the food I prepared for you?" Gaius asked as Merlin and I packed our belongings.

"Yes." I sighed, trying not to let the annoyance into my voice, seeing as Gaius has been more worried about us now than he was when we fought all the creatures we had to defeat in order to save Camelot. It was touching that he cared for me and my brother so much, but it could get annoying sometimes.

"Be careful with the wine, Merlin. You know what you're like. One whiff of a barmaid's apron and you're singing like a sailor." Gaius said, making me chuckle.

"I'll be fine." Merlin assured, also trying not to let the annoyance into his voice.

"Are you sure you don't want extra blankets?" Gaius asked worriedly.

"It's okay, really." I assured. "We'll be alright."

"Well, make sure you are." Gaius said as Merlin swung his bag over his shoulders before grabbing my bag as well. "Do whatever it takes." We nodded and Merlin patted Gaius's shoulder as a goodbye, smiling at him as I grabbed the last blanket off the table. As my back straightened and I turned to Gaius in order to give him one last smile, he surprised me by embracing me tightly. I was a little shocked, but quickly hugged him back before pulling away as he hugged Merlin. They patted each other's backs, before my brother and I smiled at the Court Physician one last time.


	61. Reunited

**I hope you like this chapter!**

**Reviews:**

**hateme101**** \- I've thought about it, but no, I won't. Although that definitely won't stop Arthur from being jealous ;)**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

My horse followed Morgana's as the five of us made our way down the road in the woods. Merlin was in the lead, followed by Morgana, then me, then Gwen, and Mother bringing up the rear. I was more than glad that my friends were willing to come with me, Merlin, and our Mother in order to help us protect our home.

*Night*

"They shouldn't be here." Mother said as she, Merlin, and I sat on a log of wood in front of the campfire. "Especially the Lady Morgana." She continued in a quiet voice as we glanced at the sleeping forms of my friends. "Isn't she the King's ward?"

"Not that you'd know it." I said quietly with a small smile. "She's the only person I know who isn't frightened of him."

"It won't make any difference to Kanen that they're women." Mother said worriedly, before looking at me. "He won't care that you are a woman either."

"I know." I said, putting my hand on hers. "But we're all ready to take the risk. Besides, we couldn't talk them out of coming." As Mother looked over at Morgana and Gwen worriedly, Merlin gently brushed the bruise on her cheekbone, and his jaw clenched.

"I'll make him pay for what he did to you." He said, and Mother grabbed his hand with the one that wasn't holding mine.

"Promise me you'll be careful." She whispered, before looking at me. "Both of you. No one can find out about you."

"They won't." I assured. "They never do." Mother smiled a soft smile before kissing Merlin's head and stroking the back of his hand with her thumb.

"Get some rest." She whispered to us, before kissing my forehead and standing up, making her way over to where the blankets were laid out for her to sleep. She lied down, while I moved to sit closer to Merlin, who grabbed my hand comfortingly. I used my other hand to grab one of the burning stick and blew some of the flecks into the air.

"Draca." I whispered, and the glowing flecks formed into a Pendragon dragon, the crest of Camelot, in the air.

* * *

*3 Hours Later, Third Person's P.O.V.*

Annabelle's eyes snapped open when she heard horse's hooves pat against the forest floor, as well as quiet neighing. She sat up on the ground, and looked over at Merlin, who was sleeping next to her, only to see him awake as well. She quickly grabbed her sword and stood up, ready to deflect an attack if it came her way. Merlin, seeing his sister's actions, also grabbed his sword (quite clumsily) and got up, joining his sister.

"I'll go this way." Annabelle whispered to her brother, nudging her head to the right. "You go the other way." Merlin nodded, and Annabelle looked at the sword in his hands skeptically, seeing how he held it as if he didn't know which end of it to grasp in his hand, before walking away, knowing that even if he doesn't know how to use a sword, Merlin can take care of himself.

After about a minute of slowly and quietly walking through the woods, Annabelle noticed a figure from the corner of her eye, and immediately pushed her back against the bark of a tree, seeing the person walk in her direction. She waited for a few seconds, before she heard the person close by and stepped out form behind the tree quickly, placing her blade against the person's neck. However, she immediately dropped the sword back to her side as her eyes widened.

"Arthur?" She exclaimed quietly, and the Prince smiled.

"I guess you weren't joking when you said you're quite handy with a sword." He said, gesturing to the sword in her hand, and Annabelle shook her head with a smile.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, and Arthur shrugged with a small smile.

"I came to help."

"Thank you." Annabelle smiled softly, and he returned it, before his eyes stopped on something a little further away behind Annabelle. She followed his gaze, and saw her brother, with his sword in both of his hands. stumbling through the woods with his back to them. Arthur glanced at Annabelle with a small smirk, before quietly walking over to Merlin, Annabelle close on his heels. Once they reached him, Arthur put the tip of his sword against Merlin's back, making the warlock freeze, while Annabelle stood next to the Prince with a small humorous smile.

"I'd ask you for money." Arthur said to Merlin, while Annabelle bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. "But I know you don't have any."

"Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed with a smile as he whipped around. However, he was so happy and surprised that he forgot he was still holding a sword in his hand, and both Annabelle and Arthur had to duck quickly as the blade swung above their heads. Merlin continued to grin happily as the two looked up at him, Arthur scowling and Annabelle trying to suppress a chuckle.

"Put the sword down, Merlin. You look ridiculous." Arthur said as he grabbed Merlin's sword and walked past him, over to the camp. Annabelle chuckled quietly as she glanced at her brother, before they both followed the Prince.

* * *

*10 Minutes Later, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"How much further is it?" Arthur asked me and Merlin as the three of us sat at the newly stoked camp.

"Maybe a few hours." I shrugged.

"How many men does Kanen have?" Arthur asked again, and Merlin and I thought for a second.

"I'm not sure. I think, from what our Mother said, maybe as many as forty." I replied and Arthur nodded thoughtfully.

"We should get some rest." He said, looking at the two of us. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

"Erm, thank you." Merlin spoke up. "I know you didn't have to come."

"Get some sleep." Arthur simply said, before grabbing his blanket and plopping down on the ground next to the campfire. I looked at Merlin, and we both shared a small smile. Now that Arthur is here, everything will end alright one way or another.

* * *

*Next Day, Third Person's P.O.V.*

Kanen whipped around as a sword whizzed past him and embedded itself in the post next to him. He turned around, only to see Prince Arthur riding up on his horse before dismounting and quickly deflecting the blow from one of the bandits. Merlin also arrived, and dismounted his horse while Arthur punched the bandit he was battling in the face.

"Kill them!" Kanen yelled angrily, and one of the bandits dropped the bags with grain before unsheathing his sword and running over to Merlin, who grabbed his sword and deflected the blow. Annabelle, Lady Morgana, Guinevere, and Hunith all arrived and dismounted as Merlin and Arthur continued to fight.

While Hunith and Guinevere ran over to the villagers to make sure they were alright, Annabelle and Morgana grabbed their swords and ran toward the bandits in order to help the Prince and the Warlock. Arthur deflected another blow from a bandit, while Merlin continued to dodge the attacks from another. However, the bandit whom Merlin was battling managed to push his sword against Merlin's with such force that he pushed the warlock against a door, trapping him. As Merlin struggled to keep the blades away from his face, an idea occurred to him.

"Hætende," He whispered, and the bandits sword started to heat up rapidly until it was bright red. The bandit yelped in pain as he dropped the sword in shock, and Merlin took the opportunity to land a fatal blow.

Arthur drove his sword through one of the bandits, but didn't notice another bandit running up behind him. As the bandit raised his sword, ready to kill the Prince, Annabelle ran up to the two men and quickly deflected the blow that was meant for Arthur with her sword. Arthur whipped around, and stood in shock for a moment as Annabelle fought the bandit. She slammed her sword against his, before grabbing the wrist of the arm that was holding the sword, holding it up as she spun around while slashing his stomach. The bandit dropped dead to the ground, and Annabelle turned around to look at Arthur, who was staring at her with slight amazement in his eyes.

"Bringing back memories of when a girl used to beat you?" Morgana teased with a smirk, joining the Prince and her best friend, making Arthur tear his gaze away from Annabelle and look at her instead.

"That never happened." He protested, but Morgana just looked at Annabelle with a smirk.

"It did happen." She said, making Annabelle chuckle. "Multiple times."

"You'll pay for this!" Kanen called as he mounted his horse. "With your lives! All of you!" He then rode out of the village and into the woods, followed by the only bandit who was left alive.

Merlin stared after Kanen, before his eyes landed on a young man around his age with sandy blonde hair and stormy gray eyes.

"You're still up to the same magic tricks again?" The man asked Merlin as he walked up to him. "Look, I thought I told you we didn't want you kind around here." The man and Merlin stared at each other for a moment, before they both grinned.

"I missed you too, Will." Merlin said, before they embraced each other in a tight hug. "Good to see you."

Morgana and Annabelle shared a smile as they walked over to Hunith and Gwen, but Annabelle stopped abruptly as her eyes landed on Merlin hugging someone. As the two men pulled away from each other, she saw the familiar face, and a smile broke out on her lips.

"Will!" She called happily, before running over to them.

"Anna!" He grinned wrapping his arms around her as he spun her around, making her laugh. Arthur, upon hearing Annabelle's laugh, looked over at the three of them, and a frown set on his face as he Annabelle hugging another man happily. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. After all, this is her home and she had many friends here, but he still couldn't help but feel jealous. Morgana, noticing Arthur's jealousy, smirked and nudged Gwen, who smiled knowingly.

Annabelle and William pulled away from each other after a moment, and smiled before Will looked over at Merlin.

"How have you been? I, er, hear you're skivvying for some prince."

"No." Merlin shook his head with a small smile. "I wouldn't say I'm a skivvy."

"Merlin!" Arthur called, making the three turn around. "Gather the villagers! I need to talk to them!"

"Yeah, in a minute!" Merlin called back. "I'm just talking-"

"Now, Merlin!" Arthur ordered. "There isn't much time." He said as he walked back to Matthew, Hunith, Morgana, and Guinevere.

"Yes, Sire." Merlin said and sent Will a small apologetic look as he ran over to the many familiar faces in order to do what the Prince asked him to. Annabelle looked over at William, who was staring at Merlin in slight disbelief and at Arthur in distaste, and gave him a small comforting smile, before walking over to Morgana, who immediately started a conversation.


	62. Love

**I hope you all like this chapter!**

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"I know Kanen's kind." Prince Arthur spoke to the people of Ealdor who have gathered in a small group in front of where he, Lady Morgana, Guinevere, Merlin, and Annabelle were standing. "He'll be back, and when he is... We must be ready for him. First of all, we have to prepare-"

"Am I the only one wondering who the hell this is?" William interrupted, walking forwards to stand in front of the villagers in order to fully face Arthur.

"I'm Prince Arthur of Camelot."

"Yeah, and er, I'm Prince William of Ealdor." William scoffed.

"Keep quiet." Hunith scolded. "He's here to help us."

"He's made things worse!" William snapped. "Kanen will be back, and when he is he'll be looking for revenge." He said, before facing Arthur angrily. "You've just signed our death warrant!"

"He saved Matthew's life!" Hunith exclaimed, but Arthur held up his hand.

"It's alright, Hunith." He assured, before looking at William. "This is his village. What would you have us do?"

"We can't fight against Kanen." William stated after a second. "He has too many men."

"So what's the alternative?" Arthur asked.

"Give him what he wants." William said, making the villagers shake their heads and murmur in disagreement.

"Then what?" Arthur asked. "Those of you who don't starve to death, will face him again next harvest! And the harvest after that!"

"We'll manage. We'll survive." William said, but people gave him incredulous looks.

"How?" Many of the villagers exclaimed in disbelief.

"The only way he can be stopped is if you stand up to him." Arthur tried to persuade him, but William just shook his head.

"No. You just want the honor and glory of battle. That's what drives men like you. Look, if you want to fight, then go home and risk the lives of your own people, not us!" He snapped at the Prince, before walking away.

"Will!" Annabelle called, but he ignored her and continued walking. She sighed and looked at Merlin, who was standing on Arthur's other side, before the two siblings went after him.

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Merlin and I chased Will all the way to his house, only to see him trying to clean the mess that Kanen's bandits have made.

"He knows what he's doing." I said, referring to Arthur, but Will just ignored me. "You've got to trust him." He looked up at me with a scowl on his face, before continuing the cleaning.

"Look," Merlin sighed as we stepped forward. "When I first met Arthur, I was exactly like you." My brother said as we started to help Will clean up a little bit. "I hated him. I thought he was pompous and arrogant."

"Nothing's changed there, then." Will spoke up, not looking at us, as he picked up the stand with his father's chain mail shirt and tunic, which were still stained with blood.

"But, in time, I came to respect him for what he stands for, what he does." Merlin continued.

"Yeah, I know what he stands for; princes, kings, all men like him." Will snapped, making me frown.

"Will," I sighed softly. "Don't bring what happened to your father into this."

"I'm not!" He snapped before looking at Merlin."Why are you defending him so much? You're just his servant." He then looked at me. "And you're just a maid."

"He's also our friend." Merlin defended, making Will scoff.

"Friends don't lord it over one another."

"He's not like that." I said, and Will nodded sarcastically.

"Really? Well, let's wait until the fighting begins, and see who he sends in to die first." He snapped. "I guarantee you, it won't be him."

"We trust Arthur with our lives." I said, and Will scoffed again.

"Is that so?" He asked, although quietly as if he was tired of everything. "So he knows your secret then." I swallowed and looked down, while Merlin just stared at him. "Look, face it, you two. You're living a lie. Just like you were here. You're servants, nothing more. Otherwise, you'd tell Arthur the truth."

* * *

*Hunith's House, Night, Third Person's P.O.V.*

After Arthur and Merlin's short yet meaningful conversation, the Prince was dying to ask his servant about Annabelle. Was it also so hard for her in Ealdor? Was she in the same position as Merlin? Did she choose to leave with her brother in order to find a place where she would belong? All those questions piled up in his head, but he didn't want Merlin, or anyone for that matter, to know his feelings for Annabelle. He didn't want to show how much he cared; even though he did a great deal.

* * *

*Next Day, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"You've still not learned how to dress yourself?" Morgana asked with a smirk as the two of us walked over to stand in front of Merlin, who was helping Arthur put on his vest.

"You don't have a dog, and fetch the stick yourself." Arthur retorted before glancing at Merlin. "No offence, Merlin."

"None taken." My brother replied, making me chuckle quietly as I shared a look with Morgana before we both rolled our eyes.

"Prince Arthur, you didn't finish your breakfast." Mother said as she came over to Arthur and handed him the bowl with the food she served as breakfast.

"Didn't I?" Arthur took the bowl from her with slightly wide eyes, obviously not wanting to put it in his mouth.

"Come on. Eat up." Morgana prompted with a mischievous smirk, making me stifle a giggle. Arthur glanced at Mother, who turned around after smiling at him softly, and picked up the spoon, holding it near his mouth.

"Mmmmm." He pretended to eat, before putting the spoon down as soon as Mother's back was to him. He then quickly shoved the bowl into Gwen's hands, before patting Merlin on the shoulder. "Alright, let's get going. We need wood. Lots of it."

"Of course." Merlin nodded as Arthur and Morgana headed out. I looked over at Gwen, only to see her finishing Arthur' breakfast before handing it to Mother.

"Arthur said it was lovely." She lied with a kind smile, before also heading out while I quickly put on the necklace Arthur gave me for my birthday, before tucking it in beneath my shirt.

"He must care for you two a great deal." Mother said.

"Arthur'd do the same for any village." Merlin said nonchalantly as he put on his jacket. "That's just the way he is."

"It's more than that." Mother said. "He's here for you and your sister." I took a deep breath, but otherwise didn't let them know that I cared.

"I'm just his servant and Ann is Morgana's maid. That's all."

"Give him more credit than that. He likes you." Mother glanced at me while she spoke to Merlin, as if she wanted to say more, but decided not to.

"That's because he doesn't know us." I said, speaking up for the first time.

"She's right." Merlin agreed. "If he did, we'd probably be dead by now."

"You two don't really believe that, do you?" Mother asked in shock, but Merlin just shrugged before leaving as well. "You know, I saw the looks the Prince sends your way." She said, walking over to me, seeing as we were now the only ones in the house.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." I said as I turned around to face her.

"Anna, I've lived for longer than twice as long as you." She smiled at me. "I know when a man falls in love. You can always see it in the way he looks at the woman."

"Arthur isn't just any man, Mother." I said. "He's the Prince of Camelot. Even if we did have feelings for each other, which we don't, Uther would rather have my head than let us be together." As I said that, I grabbed my sword, ready to leave as well.

"There is not thing stronger in this world than love, Anna." Mother said softly, making me stop abruptly. "Remember that."

*20 Minutes Later*

"There is no way they're going to be able to hold Kanen off." Morgana said as she, Gwen, and I watched Arthur train the village men while the two of them sharpened swords and I mended some of the armor.

"Men aren't the only ones who can fight." I said, and the girls smiled at me.

*40 Minutes Later*

"Looks like the battle's already fought and lost." I said as I, Gwen, and Morgana walked over to Arthur, who was getting a cup of water from the well.

"They'll toughen up." He simply said as we all looked over at the men who were now resting, looking completely exhausted.

"They need to." Gwen said.

"How are we doing for weapons?"

"There isn't much but we should be able to scrape together what you need." I said, and the Prince nodded. "But it's not the weapons that worry us, it's having enough people to use them." I glanced at my friends before continuing. "We think the women should be allowed to fight."

"You haven't enough men." Morgana said softly as Arthur was about to speak up, obviously disagreeing seeing as he shook his head.

"If they were trained soldiers, maybe you'd stand a chance, but they're not." I added. "Most of the men in this village have never held a sword in their lives."

"It's too dangerous." Arthur said while looking at us, before walking away towards the men, making me sigh and share a solemn look with Morgana and Gwen. "Alright! On you feet! Come on, let's go!"

*Night, Hunith's House*

"We don't stand a chance." I heard Gwen say quietly as I lied on the bed that I shared with my Mother.

"Arthur can't see that." Morgana replied in a whisper. "He's too stubborn."

"Why do you think he came here?"

"The same reason we did." Morgana whispered. "Merlin and Annabelle. Arthur may act like he doesn't care about his servant but he wouldn't be here if he didn't. And Annabelle..." She trailed off with a quiet chuckle. "Well, you saw as well as I did. He's clearly in love with her; I have never seen him fall for someone so deeply."


	63. A Choice

**I hope you all like this chapter!**

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"We have to make Arthur understand that he and the men cannot do this alone." Annabelle said determinedly as she, Lady Morgana, and Guinevere sat outside of Hunith's house.

"Well, you know as well as I that Arthur is the most stubborn man on the planet if he wants to be." Morgana replied with a sigh, making Gwen chuckle despite the mood.

"Well, I'm sure _someone_ can find a way to persuade him." She nudged Annabelle, making the young sorceress roll her eyes while Morgana chuckled along with Gwen.

"You've got to stop this nonsense." Annabelle groaned. "You're wearing off on my mother!"

"So your mother also noticed that Arthur is in love with you?" Morgana asked making Annabelle sigh.

"He is not in love with me. Why don't we leave it at that?"

"Because you keep denying the truth!" Guinevere exclaimed. Annabelle rolled her eyes and opened her mouth in order to retort, but was cut off by a blood curling scream. The three girls jumped and shared a quick look, before quickly getting up and running over to the road that passes through the middle of the small village. Prince Arthur, Merlin, and the village men, who have all been in one of the buildings discussing the plans for defending Ealdor, already arrived, and they all watched as a horse galloped forwards with Matthew slung over it. Two of the village men, upon Arthur's orders, ran over to the horse and grabbed Matthew, pulling him off the horse gently and lying him on his stomach on the ground, revealing an arrow in his back, which also held a parchment of paper.

Annabelle, Morgana, and Guinevere all walked forward slowly, staring at the body with wide eyes (teary, in Annabelle's case), until they reached the Prince and the Warlock. Merlin, upon hearing the three girls, glanced at Guinevere to make sure she was alright before putting a comforting arm around his sister, who covered her mouth with her hands. Hunith, as well as all the other village women, also ran over and gasped, covering her mouth. Arthur glanced at Annabelle worriedly, seeing the tears in her eyes, before he knelt down next to Matthew's body and grabbed the note, readying it silently.

"What does it say?" Merlin asked after he got over his shock from seeing one of his old friends dead.

"'Make the most of this day. It will be your last'." Arthur replied solemnly.

"MATTHEW!" A woman's voice was heard as Matthew's fiancee pushed through all the people, nearly barreling Guinevere out of the way if Merlin hadn't caught her, before dropping to her knees by Matthew's side. "NO!NO!No!" She sobbed, bringing more tears to Annabelle's eyes while Arthur watched, feeling the immense guilt rise up in his chest.

"You did this!" William accused, making the feeling even worse, as he pushed through some of the men in order to stand in the front. "Look what you've done. You've killed him!"

"It wasn't his fault!" Annabelle defended from Merlin's side, her voice cracking at the end as William brought his gaze onto her.

"If he hadn't been strutting around, treating us like his own personal army, this would never have happened!" He pointed at Arthur, making Annabelle shake her head.

"These men...!" Arthur started as he pointed at the villagers. "Are brave enough to fight for what they believe in! Even if you aren't!"

"You're sending them to their graves!" William exclaimed, and Arthur looked down at Matthew's sobbing fiancee with guilt and sorrow as Annabelle knelt down to comfort her. "You've killed one man. How many more need to die before you realize this is a battle that can't be won? When Kanen comes, you haven't got a chance." Everyone looked at William as those words left his lips. "You're going to be slaughtered."

* * *

*5 Minutes Later, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Merlin and I entered Will's house and immediately stopped as we saw him packing his belongings.

"Don't bother you two, I'm not interested." He snapped, making Merlin give him an incredulous look.

"You should be." I said as Will walked around the house to gather his things. "Because tomorrow Kanen will attack, and whether you like it or not, we'll have to fight."

"Not if I'm not here."

"Well that's up to you, but the rest of us are staying." I replied.

"Join us, Will!" Merlin pleaded as he quickly walked over to our friend and leaned against the table he was standing next to.

"This isn't about Arthur." I added, walking over to them as well. "This is about your friends! Are you really going to abandon them?"

"What, like you and Merlin did?" William finally looked up at me, but with more hurt in his eyes than anything else, causing me to give him a guilty and hurt look.

"We're here now." Merlin said, seeing that William's words really got to me. I tried to tell myself that it was for the better when Merlin and I left, but after everything Will's said, I'm starting to believe that, perhaps, we didn't do much good at all. Maybe we just ran away from our problems, from our friends, and from our Mother, when we could have just stayed and faced them. Maybe it is our fault that Kanen has done so much harm. Maybe we just don't want to admit it.

"Yeah." I was snapped out of my thoughts by Will's voice. "Yeah, you are. And either you or Annabelle can end this." He said as he grabbed some of his clothing from his bed before walking back to us. "If one of you used your magic, no one else would have to die."

"You know we can't." I said in a broken and quiet voice.

"Can't or won't?" Will snapped, making me sigh. "I'm not the one abandoning these people, Annabelle... You are." He then walked away, leaving me with tears in my eyes that I refused to let fall. However, I didn't miss the fact that Will said that_ I_ am the one abandoning all our friends. Not Merlin. Not both me and Merlin. Just _me_.

I sighed sadly while giving Merlin a sorrowful gaze before shaking my head and walking out. I was going to head straight to Mother's house, but I stopped abruptly as I saw Arthur sitting outside of the house, sharpening his sword. I debated for a short second, before walking up to him and sitting down next to him. Merlin must have followed my trail of thought, and sat down on Arthur's other side.

"William's father was killed, fighting for King Cenred." I said after releasing a sigh, not looking at Arthur. "That's the reason why he doesn't trust anyone of nobility."

"Do you think the villagers believed him?" Arthur asked after a moment, but it seemed to be directed more to me than to Merlin, so I was the one who answered.

"No." I smiled slightly. "He's always been a troublemaker. They're used to ignoring him."

"And if he's right?" I looked up at Arthur in shock.

"He isn't." Merlin said, while I looked at Arthur, whose eyes were filled with guilt and doubt.

"I'm treating these men like soldiers, and they're not." He said as we glanced at the villagers. "You've both seen them fight. They... They haven't got a clue!" I sighed and there was a moment of silence before Arthur broke it again. "You need to tell them all to leave the village before Kanen returns."

"No. We're going ot stay. We're going to fight. And we're going to win." Merlin said, and I nodded in agreement.

"Merlin. It can't be done." Arthur exclaimed. "The odds are too great."

"It can!" Merlin pressed. "We're going to make Kanen rue the day he ever came to this village. All you need to do is get the men ready for battle. And the rest will take care of itself." Arthur gave him and incredulous look.

"How?!"

"You've just got to believe in them, Arthur." I spoke up, making them both look at me. "Because if you don't, they'll sense it. And the battle will be lost before it's even begun."

* * *

*Late in the Evening, Common Building, Third Person's P.O.V.*

"Tomorrow morning, the women and children should gather what belongings they can carry and go to the woods." Prince Arthur said as he stood by a fire in the middle of one of the buildings in the village, with everyone else surrounding him in a circle.

"We're not going anywhere." Annabelle spoke up, immediately stepping forwards in order to face the Prince.

"I know you want to help." He said kindly. "The women can't stay here. It's too dangerous."

"The women have as much right to fight for their lives as the men do." Annabelle protested, surprising some of the villagers. They have known this girl since she was a small child, and to see her standing up to the Prince of Camelot in order to fight for the women's right, to fight for their village, was incredible.

"None of you know how to fight." Arthur tried to persuade, but Annabelle shook her head.

"Morgana and I can take out a great number of Kanen's men within minutes. You know that. Besides, the more of us there are, the better chance we stand." She said, and the Lady Morgana and Guinevere immediately stepped forward to stand on either sides of their best friend and show Arthur that they are ready to fight. All the other women looked at Annabelle in admiration, before stepping forward as well. Arthur looked around in slight amazement, before bringing his gaze onto Annabelle, looking at her admirably. After a moment, he sighed and nodded.

"This is your home. If you want to fight to defend it, that's your choice. I'd be honored to stand alongside you." He said, making Annabelle smile at him softly. All the women stepped back, knowing that they were allowed to fight for their home, but Annabelle stayed where she was. "Kanen attacks tomorrow. Kanen's brutal. He fights only to kill. Which is why, he will never defeat us. Look around. In this circle, we're all equals." The Prince said, looking around at everyone present. Even William, who despised him, was listening intently and was starting to believe that perhaps Merlin and Annabelle were right. Perhaps, Arthur Pendragon is different. "You're not fighting because someone's ordering you to, you're fighting for so much more than that. You fight for your homes. You fight for your family! You fight for your friends. You fight for the right to grow crops in peace... And if you fall... You fall fighting for the noblest of causes: fighting for your very right to survive! And when you're old and grey, you'll look back on this day and you'll know you earned the right to live every day in between! So you fight! For your family! For your friends! For Ealdor!" He raised his sword, and everyone immediately jumped up from their seats, the men holding up their swords as well.

"For Ealdor!" They called out. Everyone, including Merlin, but except for Guinevere, Morgana, and Annabelle. "Ealdor! Ealdor!" Morgana and Gwen looked at one another with smiles, while Annabelle stared at Arthur with a small, soft, and proud smile. "Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor! Ealdor!" Arthur looked around with a small smile, before his eyes found Annabelle's again. He looked into her beautiful, sparkling, light blue eyes, and found himself smiling even wider. Even though she stood up to him in public, which is something his father would never tolerate, his admiration for her only grew. She was brave enough to stand up to a _prince_, in order to make sure that people have a choice whether they want to stay or not. And though he couldn't figure out why he was thinking that, the thought stayed in his head: _Annabelle would make a great Queen._


	64. The Moment of Truth

**I hope you all like this chapter!**

**Reviews:**

**hateme101**** \- Their history is basically the same as Merlin and Will's; they were best friends when growing up, Will might have had a small crush on her when they were about 10-13, and that's it. They were best friends.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

It was now incredibly late, and the only reason for why I was still awake was because I couldn't fall asleep so I went for a walk. I've made my decision, and I will not change my mind, but I still couldn't shake off the worry. After another twenty minutes, I decided to go back to Mother's house, not wanting to worry her if she woke up and noticed that everyone is there except for me. I opened the door quietly, not even looking up, and closed it behind me before turning around, only to nearly stagger backwards in shock as I saw Mother, awake and sitting by a fire with a shawl wrapped around her.

"Come here." She said quietly so that she wouldn't wake up anyone, patting the seat next to her. I gave her a small confused look, but walked over and sat down nonetheless. She looked at me lovingly and stroked my cheek. "I do love you, my darling." She whispered, and I smiled a small smile.

"What's wrong?" I asked with a small chuckle, but she just looked down.

"I should never have gone to Camelot." She said and my brows furrowed in confusion. "I've ruined everything for you and your brother."

"What?" I asked in disbelief. "No, you haven't. Why on Earth would you say that?" I asked softly, making her finally look at me.

"I know what you're planning to do." She said, and I closed my eyes briefly, sighing.

"If it comes to a choice..." I started. "Between saving people's lives and revealing who I really am..." I trailed off with a small smile and shrugged. "There is no choice."

"You can't let Arthur know about your gift."

"Why not?" I asked. "Maybe it's meant to be this way." Mother just shook her head sadly and looked down. "You said he loves me. I still don't believe it, but... If he does truly love me, then I should have nothing to fear. But if he doesn't accept me for who I really am, then... I'll know that he has no feeling for me."

"Does Merlin know?" Mother finally asked, and I shook my head.

"No. I don't want him to worry." I said, and she nodded but I could see right through it. "Promise me you won't tell him. He would never let me put myself in such danger. And I know you don't want to either. But I _have_ to do this."

*Next Day*

"Arthur!" I called as I walked up to the Prince, who was standing watch for Kanen's men. "My mother made you some food." I said as I held out the bowl to him.

"Thanks." He said, and I nodded with a smile as I turned around to walk away. "I think." I hear him mutter, and stopped abruptly, facing him again.

"I don't know if you noticed, but food is scarce in this village. That's the reason we're here in the first place; the people here are starving." I said, and Arthur stared at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. "Look, if you don't like my mother's cooking, fine. I'm not asking you to enjoy eating it. But show some respect and don't turn your nose up at it." With that, I turned around to walk away, shaking my head.

"Annabelle!" Arthur called, and I sighed before turning around to face him again. "Thank you. You're right." He said, and I looked at him in slight surprise, but smiled a small smile all the same. "And you were right to speak up. I should have listened to you, Morgana, and Guinevere. We're going to need all the help we can get." He muttered the last part as he looked down, and I walked up to him.

"We'll be fine." I said, and he turned to look at me.

"How can you be so sure?" He asked.

"Because I have faith in you." I said, knowing that I can't tell him the real reason for why I know that we will win. However, what I told him is the truth as well. I do have faith in him, and he needs all the encouragement he can get, seeing as I know how much he doubts himself, even though he doesn't have a reason to.

"Thank you." He gave me a small smile, and I returned it before walking away.

* * *

*1 Hour Later, Third Person's P.O.V.*

Merlin picked up the Prince's armor and turned around, ready to help him put it on.

"No, not today." Arthur said, taking the armor in his hands. "Put on your own." Merlin looked at him in slight surprise, but nodded and grabbed his parts of armor. The two men quickly put on their armor, and the Prince turned to look at his servant, noticing him struggling with one of the buckles on one of his bracers. Arthur then walked over to him, and finished the job, before putting his hand on Merlin's shoulder.

"You ready?" He asked, and the Warlock nodded.

"My throat's dry." He said quietly, and Arthur smiled a small smile.

"Me too." The Prince said, before taking his hand off of Merlin's shoulder and holding it out instead. Merlin looked down at it for a second, before smiling slightly and shaking it with his own. "It's been an honor." Arthur said, and Merlin nodded with a small smile, before they both turned around upon hearing Lady Morgana's voice.

"Arthur. They've crossed the river." She informed, and the Prince nodded, following her outside where Annabelle was waiting for them, while Merlin quickly tied his belt and sword around his waist before following his friends and sister. Morgana immediately left the three in order to get to her position, while Merlin quickly checked if everyone left their homes and were ready for the fight. That left Annabelle and Arthur alone.

"Are you frightened?" The Prince asked, and Annabelle shook her head with a small smile.

"Not in the slightest." She replied making Arthur smile as well. "Are you ready for this?" She asked in concern, knowing of Arthur's doubt about his leadership.

"Of course." He said, and Annabelle smiled softly. Of course, they bot know that the other one was lying, but that went unsaid.

"Arthur," Annabelle started, looking up at the Prince. "I want to thank you."

"What for?" He asked, confusion clear in his eyes and voice.

"For helping us. I honestly don't know what would have happened if you weren't here. This is my home and these are people I care about, so it means to me more than I can say." Arthur smiled at her softly and took her hands in his gently.

"I'm glad I could help. Everyone deserves protection in a time of need, and I wish my father could see that. However, I must be honest with you..." He took in a deep breath. "I don't know if this plan will work. And if it doesn't, and someone... You... Get hurt, I won't forgive myself."

"Don't worry about us." Annabelle said firmly. "We are all aware of the risk behind this plan, but this is our only chance. It's the only way to ensure that our village will be safe from Kanen once and for all. We're all ready to take the risk. We're ready to fight."

Arthur looked down at her with admiration in his eyes, before giving her a soft smile, which she returned. At this moment, there was neither anyone nor anything that was stopping them. These two people, in love with one another, were finally alone. And Arthur took the chance. He started to slowly lean in, and Annabelle copied his gesture without even thinking about it. Just as their lips were centimeters away from connecting...

"Anna! I- Oh, dear." Guinevere froze in her tracks as she saw her best friend and the Prince of Camelot about to kiss, but the two already heard her and quickly pulled away, not meeting neither each other's nor Gwen's eyes. Guinevere meanwhile, was looking at the two with wide eyes, filled with disbelief and excitement. However, she quickly snapped out of her daze and looked at the two apologetically. "Anna, we have to get in our positions. They'll be here any minute." She said, not mentioning the almost-kiss, seeing how it wasn't neither the nor place for it. Annabelle quickly nodded and pulled her hands out of Arthur's before following Gwen to where most of the villagers were gathered with Arthur following closely. The two had to forget about their affection for a while, or at least ignore it, and had to prepare for the battle.

The villagers stood up from where they were sitting on small wooden stools and looked at the Prince of Camelot as he walked over to them.

"You ready?" He asked the first villager in the line, patting him on the shoulder.

"Ready." The man nodded, as the Prince made his way down the line, patting the men on the shoulder. As he reached the fourth one, he held out his hand and the man shook it with a small, nervous smile.

"For Ealdor." Arthur said, before turning his head to look at Guinevere and Annabelle, who were standing by the first man in the line. The two women, understanding what he was silently telling them, nodded and quickly left to get in their positions with a few other villagers, while Arthur clapped Merlin on the shoulder and led the men to their hiding positions. Annabelle swiftly jumped over a big stack of hay and helped Gwen do the same before running over to their hiding position. Arthur and Merlin peeked through the wooden grate they were standing behind and watched the forest line in anticipation. Not a second later, Kanen rode out of the woods with a battle yell, leading a great number of his men. Merlin and Arthur quickly ran back to the village men they were in group with, seeing as Kanen and the bandits were making their way toward where they were hiding and they would have been easily spotted. "Hold." Arthur instructed as the bandits either rode or ran into the village, knocking over the fences, benches, stools, grates, and everything else in their way. "No one move until I give the signal." Arthur said as he watched Kanen and the bandits, hidden behind one of the houses.

A moment later Kanen and the bandits stopped in the middle of the village, and looked around, confused, not seeing a living soul.

"Hold." Arthur said quietly, watching Kanen intently.

"Come out, come out. Wherever you are." Kanen taunted quietly, looking around the village.

"Now, pull!" Annabelle ordered, and she and Gwen with the help of one of the villagers pulled the rope that was tied to a gate hidden beneath the hay on the ground. They pulled the gate up, trapping the raiders inside the village. As soon as that happened, Morgana tried to light a fire with flint, but failed.

"Now, Morgana. What are you waiting for?" Arthur hissed to himself. "Something's gone wrong." As soon as those words left Arthur's lips, Merlin, without thinking, ran around the house they were hiding behind. "Merlin!"

"There's one! Get him!" Kanen ordered as he spotted Merlin, pointing a finger at him as the Warlock ran with a sword in his hand towards Morgana. One of the bandits, upon hearing Kanen's order, shot an arrow at Merlin, but he managed to dodge it as he ducked just in time. "Kill him!" Kanen yelled, and the bandit shot another arrow at Merlin, but missed again. Seeing where he was running, Kanen and his men followed the Warlock as he reached Morgana, who was desperately trying to light the fire.

"Give me the flint." Merlin ordered hastily, and Morgana quickly handed it to him, standing up and letting him take her place. Merlin tried to light a fire quickly while using the flint, but failed as well, so he quickly glanced at Morgana, who was watching the raiders intently as she hid herself behind one of the houses, and then opened his palm, staring down at the ground. "Baerne." He whispered, and his eyes flashed gold as a fire lit and a prepared line flamed up, trapping the raiders in the village completely.

"Come back! Don't run away!" Kanen yelled to his men as the horses neighed nervously in fear of the fire.

The raiders rode back into the center of the village, just as Arthur wanted them to.

"NOW!" He yelled, and all the villagers, including the women, ran out from their hiding places with yells alongside Annabelle, Merlin, Morgana, and Guinevere. The Prince swiftly made his way through the bandits, killing every one of them that got in the way. The villagers used brooms, shovels, swords, and anything they could get their hands on to kill the bandits. Some of the villagers pulled the raiders off their horses before killing them as well. One of the bandits ran at Annabelle and attacked with his sword, but she quickly deflected the blow with her own, pushing the bandit to the side as another one attacked her. She quickly deflected a blow before spinning around and slashing the bandit's stomach. She then turned around to face the bandit that attacked her first, and quickly ducked to avoid her head being chopped off, slashing the bandit's stomach in the process. Guinevere used a big wooden shovel to fight off one of the bandits, while Morgana slashed every raider who came at her with her sword. Merlin deflected a few blows from a bandit with his sword, before ducking as the raider's sword swung above his head. A villager battled a bandit, who was on a horse, with a sword, while another bandit managed to strike a village woman before another woman came up from behind him and struck him down with a wooden stick. Arthur battled three bandits at a time, while Annabelle fought one, slamming her sword down on his with strength. Guinevere, seeing Hunith trapped against a fence with a bandit in front of her, quickly ran forward and hit the bandit in the head with a wooden shovel. Merlin whipped around as he heard a battle cry and deflected blows from a bandit just in time, before driving his sword through the bandit's stomach. Feeling a little proud of himself, the Warlock grinned as he looked at his sword, before turning to his right and looking at he battle in front of him. However, he didn't see another bandit riding up on a horse from behind him, ready to strike him, but William, in his father's armor and tunic, suddenly showed up and jumped off a fence, pushing the bandit off the horse and punching him in the face before grabbing his sword and driving it through his chest. Will then stood up as Merlin whipped around upon hearing the bandit's yell.

"I didn't think you were coming." Merlin said, and William nodded with a small grin.

"Neither did I."He said and moved so that he would be closer to Merlin, before two bandits attacked from both sides and the two friends fought back-to-back.

Kanen rode through the village on his horse, striking the villagers with his ax. One of the village men was disarmed by a bandit, while another one was pushed against a wall and repeatedly punched in the stomach. Merlin and Will, after finishing off the bandits, looked around worriedly, seeing that they were losing. Kanen continued to strike with his ax, the bandits used their swords mercilessly, and Guinevere and Morgana battled bandits with swords. However, Annabelle was nowhere to be seen, and that frightened the two men more than anything.

"There's too many of them." Will shook his head nervously.

"Not for me, there isn't." The two whipped around and couldn't help but sigh in relief as Annabelle walked up to stand in between them with her sword in her right hand. She glanced up at Merlin with a small nervous smile before looking back at Arthur, who didn't notice the three of them as he battled a bandit. Annabelle then turned back around and took a deep breath.

"Anna, what are you doing?" Merlin asked, noticing his sister's slight nervousness. However, she just gave him a small smile before taking her sword in her left hand and extending her right hand slightly in front of her.

"Cume thoden." Annabelle said and her eyes flashed gold, while Merlin's widened in disbelief and fear of her being discovered. He understood that Anna was doing it for their friends and home, but still couldn't help but feel guilty. He was the older one, he was supposed to protect his sister, and yet she seemed to always protect him and everyone else.

Merlin and William watched as a small whirlwind formed beneath Annabelle's open palm and grew larger as she slowly raised her hand. Arthur, after killing the bandit he was fighting, looked around, wanting to find Annabelle and make sure if she's alright, but stopped as he saw her, Merlin, and William all standing together with their backs to him, as a big whirlwind suddenly appeared in front of them, blowing the wind strongly in everyone's faces. Arthur raised his shield in front of his face in order to cover himself from the wind, while everyone who was on the ground staggered backward as the force of the wind hit them. The windstorm was so strong that it raised some bandits into the air and blasted them against a wall. William and Merlin both squinted their eyes so that the dirt wouldn't get in them, while Annabelle rose her arm to cover her face from the strong wind, as did Morgana. The raiders fell off their horses as Hunith and many other villagers fell as the wind pushed against their bodies. A bandit was thrown into a wheelbarrow filled with hay, while another one was dragged by his horse as he was thrown off of it and his foot got caught in a stirrup while his horse galloped out of the village. Kanen managed to grab a hold of his horse and he stood in place as he watched the villagers win. Guinevere slashed one of the bandits' stomach with a sword, Hunith finished off another bandit with a wooden stick, and a village woman pulled one of the raiders off his horse before punching him in the face. Kanen's men, seeing that they lost, immediately fled the village, running as fast they could toward the forest, while the villagers chased after them, wanting to make them rue the day they came to their home.

William smiled in relief as he looked around, as did Annabelle, while Merlin looked down at his sister with a small smile, yet worry in his eyes. Guinevere and Morgana looked at each other with smiles before hugging one another tightly as Morgana chuckled in relief. However, the joy was short-lived.

"Pendragon!" Kanen yelled angrily, coming out to face Arthur as he threw off his cloak and took off his helmet. Arthur turned around to face him and twirled his sword around, as Kanen walked towards him and attacked him with his ax. Arthur quickly dodged the blow before deflecting another and pushing Kanen back with his shield. Kanen tried again, but Arthur deflected the blow with his shield before quickly slamming his sword down on Kanen's ax, disarming him. However, Kanen managed to kick Arthur in the stomach, sending hims staggering backwards making Annabelle furrow her eyebrows in worry, while he quickly grabbed the sword of one of the dead bandits who was lying on the ground next to him. Arthur caught his balance and walked back towards Kanen, twirling his sword around. This time, the Prince was the one to attack, but Kanen deflected the blow and spun both his and Arthur's sword around before plunging Arthur's sword into the ground and hitting the Prince int he face with his shoulder. However, Arthur managed to keep the hold of his sword and quickly deflected a few another blows from Kanen before driving him through. Kanen stared at the Prince with wide eyes full of hatred, before falling onto the ground. Arthur looked down at him before his gaze landed on Merlin, Annabelle, and William.

"Who did that?" He asked, and Merlin looked at him, feigning confusion.

"What?" He asked as the villagers, Guinevere, and Morgana all watched.

"Wind lie that doesn't just appear from nowhere." Arthur said, looking at the three individually, not willing to meet Annabelle's gaze for longer than a fraction of a second. "I know magic when I see it. One of you made that happen." He didn't want to accept that he might have fallen in love with a sorceress.

The three friends looked down, and Annabelle glanced at her brother before looking up at the Prince and taking a small step forward.

"Arthur..." She trailed off as Arthur's eyes rested on her, but William caught the sight of Kanen using his last bit of strength to grab a crossbow and aim at Arthur's back.

"Look out!' Will yelled, pushing Arthur off to the side as Kanen fired the arrow, which hit William in the chest just where his heart is.

"WILL!" Merlin and Annabelle both yelled, immediately running over to their friend, who was now on his knees. Arthur whipped around and quickly ran forward, helping Merlin lower William to the ground so that he would be lying on his back.

"You just saved my life." Arthur said in disbelief, and William managed to grin through his pain.

"Yeah. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Come on, get him inside!" Arthur yelled to a few village men as he and Merlin started picking William up, while two men ran up to them and helped them. Annabelle put a hand over her stomach as if that could stop the fear of losing her friend while she glanced at Gwen and Morgana, who were both staring off to where the men carried William in shock. The two women then brought their gazes onto Annabelle and looked at her sympathetically. Gwen had her hand placed over her chest, while Morgana's eyes were still wide. Annabelle however, just took a deep breath before following the men to Will's house. Guinevere, Morgana, and Hunith didn't waste a second in following.

The village men, Arthur, and Merlin laid William down on a table in his house and Annabelle quickly walked over to them, while Morgana, Guinevere, and Hunith stayed together by the doorway as William struggled to breathe.

"That's twice I've saved you." He said, bringing his gaze onto the Prince.

"Twice?" Arthur asked in confusion as Annabelle rolled up a blanket and put it underneath Will's head to make it more comfortable for him. Well, as comfortable a it could be.

"It was me." Will nodded. "I'm the one that used the magic."

"Will, don't." Annabelle said as Arthur looked up at her.

"It's alright." William assured. "Anna, I won't be alive long enough for him to do anything to me." He said before looking back at Arthur. "I did it." Morgana and Gwen shared a surprised look, while Hunith just watched sadly as Will protected her daughter until his dying breath. "I saw how desperate things were becoming. I-I-I had to do something."

"You're a sorcerer?" Arthur asked in shock as William had even more trouble breathing than a minute ago while he let out a laugh.

"Yeah." Annabelle's eyes were now filled with tears that she strongly held back as she glanced at Merlin before looking at Hunith, who was watching sadly. "What you going to do? Kill me?" Will mocked, knowing that he will die either way and if Arthur did in fact kill him, it would only put him out of his suffering. He knew that he was going to die. Even though Merlin and Annabelle had great powers, they didn't have the ability to heal a wound as severe as his, nor did they have the power to bring someone back from the dead.

Arthur glanced at Annabelle and Merlin, before looking down at Will.

"No. Of course not." He said, as Gwen looked down and Morgana's eyes filled with tears while William grunted and groaned in pain. "Do what you can for him." Arthur told Merlin and put his hand on Will's shoulder gently. He then gave Annabelle one last sad look before turning around and walking away, guiding Guinevere and Morgana out of Will's house as well as Merlin wiped his eyes. Hunith looked at her children one more time before also walking out, leaving her son and daughter with their dying friend.

As soon as the four of them left, Annabelle took Arthur's place on William's side while Merlin stood on his other.

"I was right about him. I told you he was going to get me killed." Will joked through his rugged breathing.

"You're not going to die." Merlin said firmly as he leaned forward.

"You're a good man, Merlin." Will told the Warlock. "A great man. And one day you're going to be a servant to a great king." He then looked at Annabelle. "You are an amazing woman, Anna. Strong, brave, kind. The best friend anyone could ask for. And who knows... Maybe you'll be a queen one day. Now you can both still make it all happen."

"Thanks to you." Annabelle said as a tear fell down her cheek.

"This place has been boring without the two of you. It's good to see you two again." Will said quietly, and Annabelle smiled a soft smile through her tears as she reached out and stroked his face.

"Yeah, you too." Merlin forced a smile of his own.

"Anna." Will struggled to get the words through his lips as the pain in his chest increased. "Anna, I'm scared." Another tear fell down Annabelle's cheek as she grabbed Will's hand with her other one.

"Don't be. It's going to be alright." She assured in a shaky voice.

"Anna..." Will struggled to say as he grunted and spluttered before growing completely still. A soft sob escaped Annabelle's lips and she immediately covered her mouth with her hand as Merlin cried.

*4 Hours Later*

All the villagers, Guinevere, Arthur, Morgana, Merlin, and Annabelle stood in front of the burning flames that consumed William's body on the pyre. Merlin, Arthur, and Annabelle all stood in the front, while everyone else stood behind them in silence.

"I'm sorry." Arthur said, not looking away from the fire. "I know he was a close friend."

"He still is." Annabelle said in a slightly hoarse voice she had from crying.

"You both knew he was a sorcerer, didn't you?"

"Yes." Merlin lied as his eyes filled with more tears, but he held them in. Annabelle, seeing her brother's heartbreak, grabbed his hand comfortingly. Hunith glanced at her children sadly, seeing how painful the loss of Will is to them. The fact that they have to lie to another didn't help.

"You know how dangerous magic is. You shouldn't have kept this from me." Arthur said somewhat accusingly, making Annabelle tear her eyes away from the fire for the first time and look at the Prince with eyes full of tears, hurt, and disbelief. How can he say that they should have told him the truth about magic when his father executed hundreds of people who had it? How can he expect them to tell him the truth when magic is forbidden in the kingdom he was born and raised in on penalty of death?

Arthur then walked away, while Morgana and Guinevere stepped forward and walked over to the siblings. Placing her hand on Annabelle's arm gently, Morgana pulled her into a tight hug, which Annabelle accepted gratefully, while Gwen hugged Merlin tightly, letting him rest his head in the crook of her neck as more tears threatened to spill. After a moment or two, Hunith walked over to the four, and Morgana and Guinevere both smiled at the two siblings before walking away, seeing that Hunith wanted to have a private conversation with her children.

"You better be going." She said as she grabbed her daughter's hand.

"We don't have to go." Merlin said, going back to staring at the fire.

"Yes, you do." Hunith said as the villagers bowed their heads in respect and one by one slowly started to leave.

"If anything were to happen to you-" Merlin started, eventually looking at away from the fire and at Hunith, but she cut him off.

"I know where to find you and your sister." She assured gently. "You have to go. You both belong at Arthur's side. I've seen how much he needs you two. How much you need him. Merlin, you and Arthur are like two sides of the same coin while you, Anna, seem to be the edge that's holding them together."

"I've heard someone say that about us before." Annabelle mused with a small smile. Well, technically the Great Dragon didn't use the exact same words, but... They were very similar. "I'm going to miss you." Anna said before hugging Hunith tightly.

"I'm going to miss you, too." Hunith chuckled through her tears, before pulling away and hugging Merlin tightly. "When you left... You were just a boy. Now look at you. I'm so proud of you." She told Merlin, who smiled as she kissed his forehead. Merlin then smiled at Hunith one more time, before turning around and walking away towards Guinevere, while Hunith faced her daughter. "When you left, you were a girl whom every village boy seemed to hold affection for. And now you are a beautiful woman who stole the heart of the Prince of Camelot." Annabelle opened her mouth to protest, but Hunith didn't let her say anything. "Don't even try to deny it, darling. From what I can see, you aren't the only one who fell in love." She glanced over her shoulder, and Annabelle followed her gaze, at Merlin and Gwen, who were hugging by one of the houses. Hunith then looked back at Annabelle. "You've saved us. And you will continue to save Camelot. I know you will. And when the time is right, the truth will be known. Until then, you and Merlin must keep your talents hidden. It's better for everyone."

And with that the maid, the Lady, the Sorceress, the Prince, and the Warlock all made their way back to Camelot. Where they truly belong.

* * *

**Well, this is it for 1x10. Now, I'm a bit nervous about this, 'cause this is my favorite episode of the whole season and I honestly wanted to do it justice, so please take a minute to review and tell me what you thought. What did you think about the almost-kiss? What do you think about Anna's relationship with Will? I honestly cried while writing his death scene. **

**What did you think about my interpretation of this episode? I know that I kind of took away Merlin's spotlight, but I really wanted to show Annabelle's true colors and to what extents she is willing to go to in order to protect the people she loves. Also, I wanted to make it a bit more dramatic, seeing as there was a point in the story when Arthur was thinking 'did I fall in love with a sorceress? No, I couldn't have' you know, so I hope it was alright. **

**Please leave a review and tell me what you think!**


	65. Killer of the Unicorn

**I hope you all like this chapter!**

**Reviews:**

**hateme101 - She does still grieve Will a bit, but it's been a couple of weeks since his death, so unless you can read in real detail between the lines, it won't be that noticeable.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I looked up as the doors to the Council chambers opened, and Arthur walked in with two Knights and my brother, who was holding a ceremonial red pillow with golden thread on which laid a white, magnificent horn.

"Father." Arthur greeted as he walked forwards. "A unicorn's horn to grace the walls of Camelot." He said as he gestured to the horn on the pillow Merlin was holding.

"Magnificent." Uther smiled as he put down the papers he was looking over during the Council meeting, and walked closer to Merlin. "It's the first one I've seen." He said as he picked up the horn, still looking at it with a smile. My brother's expression however, was one of stone and pain, which made me furrow my eyebrows in worry and concern. What happened on that hunting trip? "Gaius. Look at this." Uther turned to the Court Physician, showing him the horn he was still holding in his hands. Gaius was also a part of the Council, being one of Uther's most trusted councilors and friends, which is the only reason for why I was present at the meeting as well, although I was hardly noticed as I quietly stood off to the side. Morgana decided to give me and Gwen the day off, being the kind and gracious woman that she is, so Gaius asked me if I could accompany him to the Council meeting, seeing as Merlin left for a hunting trip with Arthur and the Knights.

"It is very impressive, My Lord." Gaius remarked, though I could clearly hear that there was something he wasn't saying out loud. From the looks of it, Uther could tell that as well.

"What is it, Gaius?" He asked after releasing a small sigh. "Speak your mind."

"Unicorns are rare and mystical creatures." Gaius started after hesitating for a second. "There is a legend that says that bad fortune will come to anyone who slays one." He spoke as he brought his gaze on Arthur, who scoffed and chuckled, not believing a word.

"Nonsense." Uther waved Gaius off as well. "We will be the envy of every kingdom." He said, placing the horn back on the pillow Merlin was still holding, before clapping Arthur, who was smiling, on the shoulder.

"I'm pleased you like it." The Prince said, and I could hear the pride in his voice as he realized that he made his father proud. It seems that everything Arthur does is to prove himself and make Uther proud. Normally, it wouldn't be bad thing at all, except Uther is not the kind of man you should be striving to become like.

As the King left the Council chambers, Merlin looked at me, letting me clearly see the worry in his eyes, before looking at Gaius as well, who held a solemn expression on his face.

*10 Minutes Later*

"I don't understand how Arthur could have taken any pleasure from killing a unicorn." Merlin said as he, Gaius, and I walked through the Square after leaving the Council chambers, seeing as the King decided to leave int he middle of it.

"Arthur's a hunter, Merlin." I sighed, and Gaius nodded. "It's in his blood. Whereas you're something entirely different." Merlin could never be a hunter. I mean, whenever we had to kill something or someone, he looked like a kicked puppy. Maybe for just a second, seeing as it was immediately replaced with the expression of relief and happiness that we saved Arthur and Camelot, but he could never be a hunter like Arthur.

"It was the most beautiful creature I have ever seen." My brother stopped walking, making me and Gaius stop as well and look at him, and there was a faraway look in his eyes. He was most definitely remembering the unicorn, and the look of amazement and awe on his face made me a little jealous that I wasn't there to see it for myself. "I wish you two had been there." Merlin said as he looked at me and Gaius.

"It's a real privilege." Gaius said. "Alas, there are very few unicorns still alive."

"You try telling that to Arthur." Merlin mumbled.

"I can imagine it would be difficult." I said as he headed to Arthur's chambers, while Gaius and I went to the Physician's quarters.

*The Next Day*

"Any idea what caused the crops to die?" I asked Gaius as he poured some kind of mixture into another one. Earlier today, Uther and Arthur rode out to a field outside and discovered that Camelot's entire grain crop has died. However, Merlin and Arthur rode through that area only yesterday as they were coming back from the hunting trip and the crops seemed perfectly healthy, which means that the crops all died over night. The King also gave the order to immediately start rationing the remaining food, which put everyone into worry.

"I'm here to complete all the tests." Gaius replied. "No disease I have heard of can spread through the entire kingdom in a single night."

"What could kill all the plants other than a disease?" Merlin asked, walking over to stand on Gaius's other side.

"Actually, it's not killing _all_ the plants." I said, making Merlin look at me questioningly as I repeated what Gaius told me earlier in the morning as soon as Uther ordered to him to conduct tests in order to find out the reason for the sudden death of crops. "The trees and hedges around the crop fields are unharmed. Unfortunately, you can't eat trees and hedges."

"It's only killing plants we can eat." Merlin said quietly.

"It would appear so." Gaius murmured as he looked at one of his mixtures.

"If it's not a disease, it must be magic." My brother said quietly.

"We can't assume that, Merlin." Gaius said. "Perhaps there is something in the soil and water that's can explain it. I can't tell the King it's caused by sorcery until I'm completely certain."

*The Next Day*

"Merlin. Anna." I heard Gwen's voice as my brother and I walked through the Lower Town along the outer wall of the castle, and turned around only to see my friend standing by the water pump. "Is it true what they're saying about the crops? They're all dead?"

"I'm afraid so." I nodded. "We might have to start tightening our belts." I joked dryly as I proceeded to go back into the courtyard, with Merlin following closely.

"I'm sure Arthur will think of something." Gwen tried to reassure, but I could hear the doubt in her voice.

"Well, even if he doesn't, we will." Merlin grinned, making Gwen smile at him softly. Of course, she thought he was just trying to make the situation seem like it wasn't as bad as it really was, but I knew that he was telling the truth. We have to find a way to fix this. The people are growing scared, and there have been thefts of grain. I smiled at Gwen, as did Merlin, before we entered the courtyard.

We have only made it a few meters, before we heard Gwen shout with worry and fear in her voice.

"Merlin!" Without wasting a second, my brother quickly ran back and I followed him, only to freeze as we saw only sand coming out of the pump. No water.

*4 Hours Later*

"Gaius." I called as I entered Gaius's quarters, making him look up from his mixtures and look at me. "We have to find a way to restore the water."

"What's wrong?" Gaius asked, seeing my distraught expression, making me sigh as I sat down next to him.

"I just walked through the Lower Town with Gwen." I said. "The people are becoming terrified of their fate if we completely run out of water, which we will soon enough." I took a deep breath in order to keep calm, before continuing. "I saw children begging their parents to give them water, but they couldn't because they hardly have any left." Gaius sighed sadly and brought his sorrowful gaze onto me.

"There is nothing I can do, Anna." He said, making me sigh. "Because it is not a scientific disease, I can't find a cure."

"Where's Merlin?" I asked after a moment, and Gaius stood up, as did I, before opening the door to my and Merlin's room, where we saw Merlin sitting on his bed, with his back to us, with a bucket full of sand in front of him along with our book of magic.

"Gecymen gé drýe wæter." He tried to turn the sand into water, but with no success, as Gaius and I walked over to him. Merlin looked up, and his eyes widened as he saw Gaius. "Hi, um. I-I was just, er-"

"I was hoping you might be trying to turn it back into water." Gaius cut him off, making me and Merlin look at him, slightly confused. "I know, I've cautioned against using magic." Gaius said as he sat down next to Merlin. "But if ever there was a time to use your talents, it's now."

"I wish I knew how." Merlin said miserably. "I've tried everything." He said as he placed the book of magic on his lap and started flipping thought the pages once again. "If it is magic, it's more powerful magic than I possess. And I'm pretty sure it's more powerful than even Anna's." I sighed and closed my eyes briefly, leaning against the wall for support. If we don't find a way to fix this, the whole of Camelot will perish.

*Late in the Evening*

After hopelessly trying to find a way to turn the sand back into water, Merlin and I decided to head to the Great Dragon for help. So now we were walking through the courtyard, despite the curfew because of the looting.

"Merlin!" We stopped as we heard Arthur's voice, and turned around to look at the Prince, who was walking up to us. "You do realize there's a curfew?" His gaze then landed on me. "Annabelle." He gave a small smile, which I returned as I gave a small curtsy.

"Sire."

"Yeah, um, I was in your chambers." Merlin started. "Something for the rat. Anna was helping me." I winced slightly. Merlin's lie was the worst one he could come up with. I would _never_ help him with any kind of rat, because I am deadly terrified of them.

"Did you find it?" Arthur asked.

"No."

"So you have been outwitted by a rat."

"They do say rats are very intelligent." Merlin said, making me stifle a chuckle.

"More intelligent than you, it would seem." Arthur said as he glanced around. "Go home. It would be embarrassing to have to lock up my own servant for breaking the curfew." Merlin and I both nodded, but my brows furrowed in confusion seeing as Arthur didn't even mention locking me up for breaking the law. My brother and I turned around and started heading back to Gaius's quarters, but stopped as we heard Arthur mumble, "What was that?", as he stared at the courtyard corridor.

"What?" Merlin asked, also looking in that direction but not seeing anyone. I didn't see anyone either.

Arthur, without giving any explanation, started running in the direction he was looking, making me and Merlin immediately run after him. We jumped over the courtyard corridor ledge and ran down the upper corridor, and I was now able to see someone in a white cloak walking in front of us. We then quickly ran down some stairs, before running down the wrought iron stairway to the burial vaults. However, we all stopped as we completely lost sight of the cloaked person, which seemed a bit weird seeing as he/she was only mere meters ahead of us. We looked around quickly, but couldn't see anyone in either of the burial vaults. Arthur quickly pointed at the vault on our left, telling me and Merlin to go that way, before gesturing to himself and silently telling us that he will go the other way so that we could trap him. Merlin and I both nodded and I started walking in the direction Arthur told me to, but stopped as I saw my brother following the Prince, obviously not really knowing where he was supposed to go. Arthur glanced back and, after seeing Merlin, walked back to him.

"That means you and Annabelle go the other way and cut him off." He hissed, making Merlin nod in understanding. Arthur then turned to the right, while Merlin and I started heading left. We jogged through the burial vaults, but didn't come across anyone. We saw Arthur jogging in our direction and stopped as he spread his arms out in confusion, not understanding how we could have not come across that person, seeing as that was the only way he could have went.

Not a second later, we all spotted a shadow of that person where Arthur just came from, and the Prince immediately signaled for me and Merlin to go back the same way we just came from as he headed back the way he had just patrolled so that we could try to trap that person again. Merlin and I jogged through the vaults, but didn't see anyone, and eventually ended up back by the wrought iron stairway without coming across anyone.

"Where is he?" Arthur asked as he ran up to us, and Merlin and I shook out heads as we all breathed heavily from the running.

"We didn't see anyone." Merlin replied.

"He was right here!" Arthur exclaimed. "Don't tell me you let him get past you, Merlin."

"Arthur, no one passed us."

"Are you _blind_, Merlin?!"

"Are you looking for me?" My brother and the Prince immediately stopped arguing as well all turned to look at the old man who was standing only two meters away from us. He was clad in white, wearing a white cloak, and holding a staff in his right hand. "I am Anhora, Keeper of the Unicorns." The three of us shared a glance, before Arthur stepped forward.

"Camelot is under curfew. What's your business here?"

"I have come to deliver a message." Anhora replied.

"And who is this message for?" Arthur asked.

"It is for you, Arthur Pendragon."

"Is it you who's responsible for killing our crops and turning our water into sand?" Arthur asked in a hard tone as he took a few more steps forwards.

"You alone are responsible for misfortune that has befallen Camelot."

"Me? You think I'd bring drought and famine upon my own people?"

"When you killed the unicorn, you unleashed a curse. For this, Camelot will suffer greatly." Anhora said, making me take in a deep breath. This is a dangerous game Arthur played.

"If you have put a curse on Camelot, you will lift it, or you will pay with your life." Arthur nearly growled, angered by Anhora's words.

"The curse was not my doing." Anhora said and Arthur took another few steps forwards.

"Undo the curse, or face execution."

"Only you can do that." Anhora said. "You will be tested."

"You're under arrest." Arthur hissed and reached out to grab Anhora, but the Keeper of the Unicorns suddenly vanished into thin air, making Arthur stumble. Merlin and I immediately stepped forward as the three of us looked around for Anhora, but not seeing him anywhere.

"Until you have proven yourself," Anhora's voice rang through the vaults, and we turned around, only to see him standing on top of the wrought iron stairway. "And made amends for killing the unicorn, the curse will not be lifted. If you fail any of theses tests, Camelot will be damned. For all the eternity."


	66. The First Test

**Well, I hope you all like this chapter!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"And you two believe what this Anhora said about the curse to be true?" Gaius asked as he stood in front of me and Merlin while we sat at the table, waiting for our breakfast, the very morning after our encounter with the Keeper of the Unicorns.

"Well, you yourself said that misfortune comes to anyone who slays a unicorn." I said as Gaius sat down in front of us. "It makes sense." I looked down at the bowl Gaius placed in front of me, seeing only a spoonful or two of food in it.

"Not much for breakfast, I'm afraid." Gaius said. "We are down to our last few scraps of food."

"Where'd you get the water to make the tea?" I asked as Merlin lifted up his cup and slowly started drinking.

"Fortunately for all of us, Merlin forgot to empty his bath yesterday." Gaius replied and Merlin immediately pulled the cup away from his lips, spitting the tea he had in his mouth back into the cup.

"You're making tea from my bathwater?" He asked in disbelief as I grimaced.

"It's not so bad." Gaius assured, before looking down at his own cup. "Perhaps a little... Soapy." Merlin and I shared a look before sighing as my brother put his cup down on the table. "What does Arthur think about the curse?" Gaius asked, and Merlin let out a breath.

"He doesn't believe it's his fault." He replied. "He's convinced Anhora's responsible for it."

"If you two do not wish to drink bathwater, you better make sure Arthur sees sense." Gaius said, and I sighed. This will be a difficult thing to do.

*1 Hour Later*

"Find that rat!" I heard Arthur order as I knocked on the door to his chambers, and froze for a second in fear. If there is a rat in that room, there is no way in hell I'm going in there. "Enter!" I heard a call and opened the door, stepping inside cautiously, looking around for any sign of a rat. Merlin must have noticed, because he sent me an assuring look and shook his head softly, assuring me that I can be in the room without having my heart jump out through my mouth from fear. "Annabelle." Arthur smiled as he put down two swords on the table, and I smiled back.

"Sire." I curtsied, and opened my mouth to speak, but was cut off by my brother.

"Have you given any more thought to what Anhora said last night?" He asked Arthur as he put he Prince's clothes back in the wardrobe.

"Ah, well, he may have escaped last night, but at least we now know whom we're looking for." Arthur replied. "I told my father I'll find this Anhora and put an end to it." He said as he grabbed a pair of boots and sat down on the chair by the table.

"What if he was telling the truth about the curse?" Merlin asked, making Arthur look at him incredulously.

"You think I'm responsible for bringing suffering upon my own people?"

"No." Merlin immediately said as he grabbed another pair of Arthur's boots. "Not deliberately." He said as he placed the boots in the wardrobe while Arthur put on the other pair of boots. There was a moment of silence before Merlin spoke up again, "When you killed the unicorn... I saw Anhora in the forest." Arthur and I both looked up at him, staring at him in surprise. Why didn't my brother tell me that?

"Why didn't you say anything?" Arthur asked, voicing my thoughts.

"We-It was just for a second and then he disappeared, I didn't even-well, I-I thought I was seeing things." Merlin explained as he walked over to stand in front of Arthur, who rolled his eyes and continued putting on his boots. "But he was definitely there."

"That doesn't actually prove anything." Arthur shook his head.

"Doesn't it make you think he might be telling the truth?"

"Because he was skulking about in the forest?" Arthur asked incredulously. "That makes me trust him even less."

"Why would Anhora appear in Camelot and then lie to you?" Merlin pressed, and the Prince shrugged.

"We had him cornered." He answered. "He was trying to talk his way out of it by blaming me."

"Arthur, that man can vanish into thin air." I finally spoke up as I walked over to stand next to my brother, who put his hands on the table in order to lean forward. "He didn't have to 'talk his way' out of anything." I said, and Arthur stood up, looking at me and Merlin seriously.

"My father has warned me about sorcerers like him. They will not rest until our kingdom is destroyed."

"Well, I believe he's telling the truth." Merlin said, and before I could even open my mouth to agree, Arthur spoke again,

"Then you're a fool. You cannot trust a single word a sorcerer says. You both'd do well to remember that." My heart twisted painfully at Arthur's words and tears came to my eyes, but I quickly forced them to disappear before Arthur or Merlin, who was probably as hurt as I, could see. "Now, I think I've figured out what Anhora's next move is going to be." Arthur continued as he put on his brown jacket. And when he makes it, you and I, Merlin, are going to be ready for him." He said, before grabbing his swords and leaving the chambers. As soon as the doors closed, I sighed and looked up at Merlin, who looked at me with a solemn gaze.

* * *

*Night, Third Person's P.O.V.*

Prince Arthur walked into a small vault near Camelot's grain store and frowned as he saw his servant sitting on the ground and leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed as he smacked his lips every few seconds. He quickly grabbed a broom and walked over to stand over Merlin, before hitting the Warlock, whose eyes immediately snapped open once that happened, with the broom.

"Don't you worry about keeping watch, Merlin." Arthur said sarcastically as he leaned forward. "You just make yourself comfortable." He said, and Merlin sighed before smacking his lips again. "And stop smacking your lips." Arthur snapped, irritated, as he walked towards the entrance to the grain store. "It's annoying." Merlin looked at him in disbelief.

"I'm thirsty."

"We're all thirsty, Merlin." Came a gentle voice, and the two men whipped around, only to see Annabelle standing by the doorway. "But Arthur's right; your smacking is getting a little annoying." She said with a teasing smile, and Merlin chuckled quietly while Arthur looked at her in surprise.

"Annabelle, what on Earth are you doing here?" He questioned, and Annabelle turned to look at him with a small smile and shrug.

"I came to help."

"What?" Arthur's eyes widened. "I don't think that's a good idea. It might be-no, it is dangerous. You shouldn't be here."

"Arthur, my brother is here." Annabelle said, although both she and the Prince seemed to forget that Merlin in fact was there while they spoke to one another in soft voices. "And you're right. It might be dangerous. And that's just more of a reason for me to be here because I will not let you or Merlin handle something like that on your own." Arthur opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "You know I can take care of myself, so don't worry. Besides, you might be a prince but I don't always have to do what you tell me to. So I'm staying." Arthur sighed, knowing that he won't win this argument, before looking at her with a small smile.

"Alright." If he was being honest with himself, Arthur only admired her more after that. She was proving to be an incredibly brave, kind woman who cares about other more than herself, and those are remarkable qualities.

"Um, hate to interrupt, but..." Merlin jerked his head towards the grain store just a short hallway away, and Annabelle and Arthur both turned to look at him before quickly walking over to stand next to him. They peered out from behind the wall, before quickly taking a step back and pressing their backs against the wall as they saw a man with a torch making his way into the grain store. After waiting a few seconds, the three slowly peered out from behind the wall again, and upon seeing the man disappear into the grain store, quickly and quietly walked down the short, dark hallway. As they turned a corner, Arthur unsheathed his sword and held it in his right hand as they reached the entrance to the grain store. Arthur then looked at Merlin and gestured for him to go around the wooden wall that separated the grain supply and cut the intruder off. Merlin nodded and turned left as Arthur took slow steps forwards, with Annabelle following closely. He twirled his sword once before raising it and stopping where he stood, with Annabelle making her way to stand beside him.

"Show yourself before I run you through." Arthur ordered while Merlin slowly grabbed a scythe hook by the wooden wall. Annabelle and Arthur waited for a few seconds, before a farmer with short red hair and scruffy beard slowly walked out from behind the wall, holding a shovel in his left hand and a sack of grain in his right. "Who are you?" Arthur questioned as he dropped his arm that was holding his sword to his side.

"My name is... My name is..." The man stuttered quietly, shaking.

"Speak up!"

"My name is Evan, My Lord." The man stated while trembling, clearly terrified, as Merlin, upon hearing the voices, put the scythe hook down and came out of hiding to stand next to his sister.

"I see you think you can help yourself to our grain reserves." Arthur said in a hard tone. "My father has ordered that looters be executed."

"Please." The man, Evan, begged as Arthur took a few steps forward. "I-I do not steal for myself. I have three children. They have not eaten for two days; they're hungry." Annabelle watched with sympathetic eyes as the man shook with tears in his eyes.

"It's the same for everyone." The Prince said.

"I-I know that it is wrong to steal." Evan stuttered, before looking down for a moment. "I couldn't bear to see them starve."

"And could you bear for your children to see you be executed?" Arthur asked, and the man shook his head while biting his lip to stop himself from crying as he looked down. Annabelle's eyes filled with tears at the sight, and Merlin put a comforting arm around her, neither of them knowing what the man's fate will be. "Then you should go home." Arthur said, and all three people present looked at him in surprise, but Annabelle with pride nonetheless. "If you're caught stealing again, I will not spare you."

"Yes, My Lord." Evan breathed with a smile, tears of gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thank you." He said, before quickly putting down the sack of grain, as well as the shovel, that he was still holding and proceeding to leave the grain store.

"Wait!" Arthur called, and the man immediately stopped, turning around to look at the Prince. Arthur bent down to pick up the sack of grain the farmer tried to steal and looked at it for a second before tossing it to Evan, who caught it with wide eyes. "Use it sparingly." Arthur instructed. "It might be the last food you and your family get for some time." Annabelle felt a smile tug at the corner of her lips as she looked at Arthur with pride. He was kind, and gracious, and was proving himself to one day be the Once and Future King.

"You have shown yourself to be merciful and kind, My Lord." Evan spoke in a strong - different - voice, which confused the two siblings who were watching the scene slightly. Evan looked down at the sack of grain in his hands, before looking up at the Prince with a small smile. "This will bring its own reward."

* * *

*The Next Day, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I quickly grabbed Gwen's arm and pulled her out of the way as a peasant man ran past us in the Lower Town with two of Camelot's guards chasing him. I sighed and shared a solemn look with my friend. Must be another one of the people whose families are starving and who tried to steal some food for them. I sighed, and put a hand over my eyes. I hate seeing those people suffer, and yet I can't help them because I don't know how. I felt Gwen put her hand on my arm comfortingly, and gave her a small smile before releasing a sigh and looking around helplessly. However, I froze as my eyes stopped on the water pump and I saw a drop of water on the spout. I slowly took a few steps towards the pump, and stepped up onto a stone step by the well before grabbing a bucket and putting it under the spout.

"Anna?" Gwen asked, confused by my actions, but I ignored her as I hesitantly pushed the pump. My eyes widened as water gushed out, and I shared a look of disbelief and happiness with Guinevere as we both laughed in relief while water continued to flow from the spout and into the bucket.

*40 Minutes Later*

"Annabelle." Arthur smiled as I stepped into his chambers, seeing as the doors were open, and I returned the smile as I curtsied.

"I just wanted to see how the two of you are holding up." I explained my reason for coming over to them, and Merlin gave me a smile as he filled Arthur's mug with water.

"The sand's disappeared, the water returned to the well." Arthur said more to himself than to me or Merlin. "It doesn't make any sense." I looked down with a tiny smile on my lips while Merlin cleared his throat. "I suppose the two of you have some explanation for this." Arthur spoke up, noticing our reactions, as he started drinking his water.

"Well, Anhora said you'd be tested. And last night, in the grain store, you let that villager go and he said, 'it would bring its own reward'." Merlin explained.

"He was merely grateful." Arthur waved him off. "So he should have been."

"Maybe that was your first test." I spoke up, making the Prince look at me. "You passed it, so the curse has begun to lift. Perhaps this," I gestured tot he water in his mug. "Is your reward." Arthur looked down at the water in his mug, and I could see that he was considering what I said to be true.

"I know you don't have to listen to us." Merlin said, and Arthur nodded.

"Glad we agree on something." I chuckled quietly, before looking at the Prince seriously.

"If you're tested again, you have the chance to end your people's suffering. I know you want that more than anything." I said, and Merlin nodded in agreement.

"Perhaps we should seek Anhora out." He said quietly in case anyone would have heard us because of the open door.

"I cannot negotiate with sorcerers." Arthur protested. "My father wouldn't hear of it."

"Then it's probably best you don't tell him." I said, and Arthur looked up at me. He stared at me for a few seconds, and I could see the internal battle he had with himself in his eyes, before he stood up.

"I must go check on the guard." He said. "See if you can find me some food." He told Merlin, before leaving. I sighed, before giving Merlin a small smile and a pat on the shoulder, and leaving as well. Morgana wanted me to find some food as well. To be honest, I was planning on doing that myself in order to feed at least some of the children and older people. I just hope I will be able to find something so that the suffering those people are going through will be eased at least a little.


	67. Failure

**I hope you all like this chapter!**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Morgana and I walked up to stand on either sides of Arthur, who was standing in the main square.

"Who are they?" Morgana asked as the three of us looked at hundreds of people who continued to queue outside the grain store.

"They've come from the outlying villages in search of food." I explained solemnly, glancing at my best friend.

"There's not enough rations to feed the people who are already here." Arthur nearly growled quietly, turning slowly in a circle as he looked at all the starving people.

"You shouldn't blame yourself." Morgana told him, seeing the guilt in his eyes as well as I. "I'm sure you're doing everything you can."

"It's not enough." The Prince said quietly, clearly furious with himself that he isn't able to protect his people, before heading back towards the castle. As soon as he was out of the hearing range, Morgana turned to me.

"Did you manage to find any food?" She whispered, and I looked down at the basket I was holding and lifted the cloth on top of it, revealing some bread. Morgana looked at me with wide eyes. "Where did you get that?"

"I was able to smuggle it out of the palace kitchens." I whispered while looking around, before looking back at my best friend. "I'll share it out amongst the children and older people. I'll try to go as far as I can." I said quietly, before quickly heading towards the people who were waiting in a line, waiting for their turn to receive grain. However, there was hardly any left, and I could hear children's cries in the air. As soon as I passed the guards I caught the side of a small boy that was no older than three years old. He was wearing peasant children's clothing, and had tears streaming down his cheeks as he sucked his thumb and held onto a woman's, who I'm guessing is his mother, dress with his other hand. I quickly looked around to make sure that the guards didn't notice anything, before walking over to the small boy and kneeling in front of him so that I was on his eye level. "Hello, sweetie." I said quietly, and the child's teary eyes snapped to me. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm hungly." He sobbed, making my heart twist painfully.

"Here." I whispered, taking the cloth off the basket and grabbing a small piece of bread before handing it to the boy. "Try to save it for later as well, alright?" The boy nodded with tears in his eyes, before throwing his small arms around my neck. My heart swelled at the thought of many other children like him suffering as I wrapped my arms around him as well, before he pulled away from me.

"Thank you so much." The boy's mother looked down at me with tears of gratitude in her eyes, and I smiled a small smile as I stood up.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly. "I wish I could give you some as well, but there is hardly any food left and I'm trying to distribute it to as many children and older people as I can."

"No, no." The woman shook her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. I completely understand. But I will never be able to thank you enough for this. You might have just saved my son's life. Thank you." She sobbed quietly, and I gave her a small smile, putting a hand on her arm, before proceeding to walk further down the line. "Wait!" The woman called quietly, grabbing my arm, making me turn around to look at her questioningly. "May I ask your name?" She asked, and I nodded.

"Annabelle."

"Thank you, Annabelle."

*The Next Day*

"I know Arthur's stubborn and pig-headed and annoying, but he cares about his people." Merlin said as he, Gaius, and I sat at our dining table. Today in the morning, my brother and Arthur left to the forest in order to seek out Anhora, but it turns out that Arthur encountered the man we caught trying to steal a sack of grain, Evan, in the forest and tried to kill him when he insulted his honor. However, Evan was just a test that Anhora put before Arthur. Arthur failed the test, letting his anger get the best of him, and Camelot's whole grain supply rotted within a second. "More than he cares about himself."

"He will never forgive himself for making his people suffer." I nodded solemnly, agreeing with Merlin.

"You must make sure he doesn't do anything rash, Merlin." Gaius advised.

"The mood he's in?" Merlin shook his head. "I don't know what he's going to do."

Gaius nodded before looking down at his plate, Merlin doing the same, and looking up at my brother.

"Ready?" The Court Physician asked.

"Are you sure they're not poisonous?" I asked, not wanting my brother to die from eating those things.

"Quite certain." Gaius replied before picking up a giant, dead insect off of his plate, Merlin doing the same, while I just looked at them. We have now ran out of food, so they had to eat _anything_ there is. I however, was lucky. Morgana made sure to provide me and Gwen with at least some food, so I wasn't hungry enough to eat insects. "They say they taste like chicken." Gaius said and opened his mouth, along with Merlin, about to bite the insect, before stopping suddenly and looking at my brother, who also stopped. "Unless we're to starve, we must hope they're right." After a second of hesitation, the two men bit into the insects, which made loud crunching noises. I grimaced and looked away in disgust.

"This tastes nothing like chicken." I heard Merlin say with his mouth full.

*2 Hours Later*

Merlin, Arthur, and I watched watched from a balcony solemnly as more people continued queuing in the square in search of food.

"They do not yet know there is worse to come." Arthur mumbled from where he was leaning against the balcony cement railing, making me and Merlin look at him questioningly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, and the Prince glanced at me before looking back at his people.

"My father is going to stop distributing food to the people. They are to be left to starve." Arthur said, and I could hear the pain in his voice. "I had the chance to lift the curse... And I failed."

"You weren't to know that you were being tested." I said, trying to make him fell at least a tiny bit better, even though knew it was pointless. The fact is, that Arthur will not smile again until his people are safe.

"My people are starving." The Prince said with guilt and pain lacing his voice. "Camelot is on the verge of collapse... And it is all my doing." After a second of silence, Arthur turned around and headed back inside. I sighed sadly and looked back at the people in the square, knowing that Arthur's guilt will soon destroy him from the inside out if Merlin and I won't do something.


	68. The Labyrinth of Gedref

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**Guest**** \- Wow. I honestly don't think I have ever read a more rude comment than the one you left on my previous chapter. And just to be clear, you reviewed my ****_67th_**** chapter. Why did you read all the way if you hate this story so much? If you hate it, don't read. I don't mind constructive criticism or opinions written in kind manner, but your review was just plain rude. If you don't like my story, don't read it; it's that simple.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Anhora!" Merlin called as he and I stood in the middle of the forest, hoping to find the Keeper of the Unicorns. "SHOW YOURSELF!"

"ANHORA!" I yelled as my brother and I both looked around, but failed to see the old man in a white cloak. I looked over at Merlin and sighed, before gesturing for him to follow me as I started heading back down the path that lead to Camelot.

"You wanted to talk with me." I heard a voice, and immediately stopped and turned to my right, only to see Anhora standing before us.

"We've come to seek your help." I said as I stepped forwards, Merlin close on my heels. "People are starving... They will soon be dead."

Anhora looked down with a frown and there was a moment of silence before he stepped forward and looked at us.

"You must believe me when I say, it gives me no pleasure to see your people suffer." He said.

"If it pains you, put an end to it." Merlin said.

"It is not in my power to lift the curse." Anhora said.

"Then give Arthur another chance." I pleaded as I took another few steps forward. "He has accepted it as his responsibility, and he will prove himself worthy and lift the curse if you give him one more chance."

"You have faith in Arthur." Anhora stated after looking at me for a second, and I nodded.

"I trust him with my life."

"As do I." Merlin stepped forward to stand next to me, and Anhora looked at both of us for a while before looking down, deep in thought.

"Arthur must got to the Labyrinth of Gedref." Anhora finally spoke, looking at us. "There he will face a final test." He said, before suddenly vanishing into thin air. "If he fails," Merlin and I whipped around, only to see Anhora standing a few feet behind us. "There's no hope." He disappeared once again, before appearing a meter or two to our left. "The curse will destroy Camelot." He said, before once again vanishing into thin air.

"Wait!" Merlin yelled, looking around. "What kind of test will he face?!"

_That is for Arthur alone to discover_. We heard Anhora's voice and looked around, but didn't see him anywhere.

*2 Hours Later*

"Anna!" Merlin called, running down the hallway of the castle, making me stop walking and turn around.

"What is it?" I asked as he caught up with me.

"Arthur just left for the test Anhora set for him." Merlin told me quietly, being cautious as to not let anyone hear our conversation.

"Alright, then." I nodded, looking at my brother determinedly. "Let's go."

*45 Minutes Later*

Merlin and I jumped off of our horses as soon as we saw Arthur about a kilometer in front of us, nearing the Labyrinth of Gedref. Merlin grabbed his horse's reigns and I grabbed mine's, slowly following Arthur, who jumped off of his horse as well and tied it to the nearest tree by the Labyrinth, before entering the greenery. Merlin and I quickened our pace, and tied our horses next to Arthur's, before sharing a determined look and nod, and entering the Labyrinth. We only took two steps forward, before looking at the two paths on either side of us. We shared a look, before I sighed and nodded, making Merlin go left.

I glanced over my shoulder as I got a feeling that someone was following us, but brushed it off and continued walking behind Merlin. After a while of just walking straight forward down a narrow path, we finally reached the end and decided to turn left once again, entering yet another path in the Labyrinth.

After another few minutes of walking straight forward, Merlin turned right and I was about to follow him, but he turned back around as he reached a dead end and started walking straight ahead once again.

* * *

*10 Minutes Later, Third Person's P.O.V.*

After wandering helplessly through the Labyrinth of Gedref, Annabelle sighed in slight irritation as she continued to follow Merlin. However, as she glanced around, she caught the side of something that made her freeze and grab onto Merlin's jacket, pulling him back and pointing to their left.

Anhora, Keeper of the Unicorns, was standing with his back to them, but they could clearly see a sharp silver blade above his head, immediately recognizing it is the end of a sword.

"You said Arthur would face a test." Merlin said angrily as Anhora turned around to look at the two, the sword in his hands now clearly visible. "And here you are preparing a trap for him."

"The trap isn't for Arthur." Anhora spoke, making the two siblings look at him questioningly. "It is for the two of you." He said, before pointing the sword at them. "Gehæftan." Suddenly the vines from the Labyrinth hedges wrapped around Merlin tightly as he grunted.

"Merlin!" Annabelle exclaimed and raised her hand, about to cast a spell, when Anhora brought his gaze onto her.

"Thliodean." He said, and Annabelle staggered backwards as her eyes started to close, before she fell to the ground.

"Anna!" Was the last thing she heard, before blackness consumed her.

*10 Minutes Later

Prince Arthur eventually found the exit from the Labyrinth and to the sea. He released a sigh of relief, but his brows furrowed when he saw Merlin sitting at a table on the shore tensely, with Anhora standing nearby.

"Merlin." Arthur snapped as he stopped by the chair in front of Merlin, knowing that his servant followed him.

"I'm sorry." Merlin said, and Arthur looked at the Keeper of the Unicorns.

"Let him go." He demanded. "I'll take your test, but not until he's released."

"That is not possible. Merlin and Annabelle are part of the test." Anhora said, and Arthur's eyebrows furrowed.

"Annabelle?" He asked, looking at Merlin, and the Warlock nodded as he looked over at Anhora. Arthur followed his gaze, and Anhora stepped to the side, revealing Annabelle lying on the big rocks behind him, with her hands folded on her stomach and her eyes closed. "What have you done to her?" Arthur asked lowly and raised his sword, anger blazing in his blue eyes.

"I have only put her into a deep sleep." Anhora replied calmly.

"Let her go." Arthur demanded. "She has nothing to do with this."

"She has everything to do with this." Anhora replied as Merlin watched the anger and worry in Arthur's eyes. "You both hold Annabelle dear to your hearts. I am entirely certain that neither of you will try any tricks when her life is at stake. Now please, sit." Arthur looked at Annabelle for a moment longer, not willing to put her in danger. "If you refuse the test, you will have failed and Camelot will be destroyed." Arthur sighed and slowly placed his sword on the small table, sitting down in front of Merlin.

"I thought I told you to stay at home." Arthur said to Merlin. "And what the hell did you think you were doing when you brought Annabelle with you?" He snapped, before realizing that Merlin is just as worried about Annabelle as he is, and sighing. "Let's get on with it." He said to Anhora.

"There are two goblets before you." Anhora started, and the two young men looked at the goblets in the middle of the table. "One of them contains a deadly poison. The other goblet: a harmless liquid. All the liquid from both goblets must be drank, but each of you may only drink from a single goblet."

"What kind of ridiculous test is that?" Arthur looked at the Keeper of the Unicorns in disbelief. "What does that prove?"

"What it proves is for you to decide." Anhora answered. "If you pass the test, the curse will be lifted." Arthur looked at Merlin, who sighed, before looking down at the two goblets in front of them.

"Let's think about this." Merlin said. "What if I drink from my goblet first?"

"If it's poisoned, you'll die." Arthur said.

"And if it's not, then you'll have to drink from yours, and you'll die." Merlin shook his head as Arthur swallowed. "There must be a way around it."

"It's perfectly simple." Arthur said. "One of us has to die. we have to find a way to determine which goblet has the poison. Then I'll drink it."

"_I_ will be the on to drink it."

"This is my doing. _I'm_ drinking it."

"It's more important that you live. You're the future King! I'm just a servant."

"This is no time to be a hero, Merlin." Arthur said, not looking up. "It really doesn't suit you." Merlin sighed and closed his eyes briefly, shaking his head. It would be so much easier if he could just tell Arthur that it's his _destiny_ to protect him.

"What if I drink from my goblet first? And if that's not poisoned, I will then drink yours." The Warlock suggested.

"He said each of us is only allowed to drink from a single goblet." Arthur reminded him quietly, glancing at Anhora and Annabelle. Merlin also glanced over at his sister, and sighed. They couldn't risk to trick the Keeper of the Unicorns. Not only because the people of Camelot would die, but because the girl they both love would die as well. Merlin sighed, bringing his hands up so that he could rest his chin on them. "I had no idea you were so keen to die for me."

"Trust me, I can hardly believe it myself." Merlin mumbled, making Arthur chuckle.

"I'm glad you're here, Merlin." He said, before sighing.

"I've got it." Merlin suddenly said. "Alright, we pour all the liquid into one goblet and then we can be sure it's poisoned. Then all the liquid can be drunk, and it will be from a single goblet."

"You never cease to surprise me. You're a lot smarter than you look."

"Is that actually a compliment?"

"Look out!" Arthur pointed behind Merlin and, as the Warlock turned around, grabbed the two goblets and poured all the liquid into only one.

"No! _I_ will drink it!"

"As if I'd let you." Arthur retorted, holding the goblet up to his lips.

"You can't die. This isn't your destiny!"

"Seems you're wrong again."

"Listen to me."

"You know me, Merlin! I never listen to you." Arthur managed a small grin, before raising his goblet in a toast.

"Arthur." Merlin tried to reason, but the Prince already drank from the goblet. "No!" Arthur placed the goblet down on the table, and looked at his servant as he breathed heavily. "What have you done?" Suddenly, Arthur fell of the chair and hit the ground, unconscious. "Arthur! No!" Merlin ran to the Pendragon's side as the rest of the liquid spilled on the table when the goblet was knocked over by Merlin. "Arthur." Merlin tried to wake the Prince up as he knelt down by his side. "Arthur!" He shook him. "Come on. Arthur, come on. Come on. Come on!" Merlin tried to wake Arthur up, but the Prince laid still on the ground, his eyes closed. "No." Merlin breathed out as Anhora came closer. "Come on." Merlin tried again, before looking up as he heard Anhora's footsteps. "Please! Please! Just... Let me take his place."

"This was Arthur's test. Not yours."

"You've killed him!" Merlin exclaimed, tears in his eyes. "I was meant to protect him!"

"He's not dead. He's merely consumed a sleeping draught. He will come around shortly." Anhora said.

"What?"

"A unicorn is pure of heart. If you kill one, you must make amends by proving that you also are pure of heart." Anhora explained, before looking down at the unconscious Prince. "Arthur was willing to sacrifice his life to save yours and your sister's. He has proven what is truly in his heart." He then looked at Merlin. "The curse will be lifted." Anhora said, before turning around to look at Annabelle, Merlin following his gaze, as her blue eyes fluttered open.

*1 Hour Later*

As Arthur, Annabelle, and Merlin arrived back in Camelot, they could see the people carrying platters around joyously. Merlin and Arthur both dismounted, and Merlin helped his sister off of her horse. Of course, Arthur was quite disappointed that he couldn't help her himself, but he couldn't risk the knights or the guards, who were all over the place, seeing.

"Annabelle! Merlin! Arthur!" They heard someone call, and turned around, only to see the Court Physician walking up to them with a grin. "There's good news! The crops have grown once again! They're bringing in the harvest!" Annabelle smiled in relief as she looked around happily, seeing the smiles on people's faces, before looking at Arthur as Gaius walked away.

"You did it." She smiled at him, and he returned it as Merlin grinned.

"Is this your doing?" King Uther asked his son with a smile as he walked out into the Lower Town. "Is the sorcerer dead?"

"He won't be troubling us anymore." Was all Arthur said, not lying to his father, and yet not telling him the full truth.

"Good." Uther nodded. "Make sure the grain reserves are re-stocked." He said, patting Arthur on his shoulder; telling him silently that he is in fact proud of his son.

"I'll see to it!" Arthur called after his father as the King made his way back to the castle. "There's something we must do first." He said and walked away, with Merlin and Annabelle following.

*40 Minutes Later*

Annabelle and Merlin both watched as Arthur laid the unicorn's horn in a burial mound of stones.

"I should never have ended your life." Arthur said quietly as he knelt by the stones. "I'm sorry." Annabelle smiled a small, proud smile, and breathed in as she looked around the forest, before freezing as she caught the sight of something in front of Arthur, while Merlin and Arthur, completely oblivious, continued to lay stones over the small grave.

"Arthur." Annabelle said quietly, and the two men looked up, only to freeze as their eyes widened in disbelief. They both slowly stood up, and a small smile formed on Annabelle's lips.

An unbelievably beautiful creature stood before them: the unicorn Arthur killed just a few days ago.

_When he who kills a unicorn proves himself to be pure of heart, the unicorn will live again._

* * *

**So, what did you all think about my interpretation of this episode? I honestly thought it was one of the saddest episodes of season 1, and so I thought there are a few ways I could play with it. The way Annabelle helped the people also can foreshadow something, if you think about it thoroughly ;) But anyway, please leave a review and tell me what you thought of this episode, and of the growing bond between Arthur and Annabelle.**


	69. Treason

**I hope you all like this chapter!**

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**RedPanda31 - Thank you so much! I know, there wasn't much Arthur/Annabelle in 1x11, sadly. And I'm sorry to say that there won't be much in this episode either, but there will be some! Just bear with me for this episode, and then I promise you more Annabelle/Arthur in 1x13. And then, in season 2, we will have a full-on romance.**

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*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I jolted awake as I suddenly felt a sensation of a very strong magic, and looked over at Merlin, only to see him sitting up in his bed as well.

"What was that?" I asked quietly, and he looked over at me.

"I don't know."

Suddenly, the feeling got stronger and I sat upright, making Merlin look at me, slightly concerned.

"What is that?" I murmured, and got out of bed, Merlin following suit as he continued to stare at me worriedly, and opened the door of our room before slowly walking down the steps, entering Gaius's head quarters which were filled with light from the candles.

"Can't sleep?" I heard a soft voice, and looked over to see Gaius sitting on a bench with his glasses on, working on some papers.

"Something woke us." Merlin said as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"What?"

"I don't know."

"A feeling." I said as I looked down, lost in thought.

"What kind of feeling?" Gaius asked, looking at me and my brother.

"Powerful magic." I said, finally looking up. "Here in Camelot." I was going to say something else, but was interrupted by the main door opening and a distraught Gwen running in.

"Gwen." Merlin immediately let go of me and grabbed her by her arms gently, looking at her concerned. "What's wrong?"

"My father's been arrested." She said, breathing heavily from running as Gaius stood up and walked over to my brother and friend, with me taking a few steps forward as well.

"Arrested?" I asked in disbelief, not being able to imagine the gentle, kind Tom committing any crime.

"What for?" Merlin asked.

"They say he was making weapons for some sorcerer. They're charging him with treason." Gwen explained, and Merlin immediately wrapped his arms around her comfortingly.

*1 Hour Later, Dungeons*

"What did he say?" I asked Gwen after she finished speaking to her father, who was in the dungeons, and came over to where we were waiting. Merlin, Gaius, and I offered to go with her for support, all three of us believing that Tom never meant to commit treason.

"He said Tauren came to him at the forge, offered to pay him a fortune for his help." Gwen said, before quickly adding, "Not to make weapons. For an experiment or something." The man she spoke about, Tauren, is a sorcerer who leads a notorious gang of wizards with the aim of bringing Uther down.

"What kind of experiment?" I asked, and Gwen shook her head.

"Tauren didn't say." She sighed. "But he used some kind of stone... Some kind of magic." Merlin, Gaius, and I all looked at each other worriedly. If Uther finds even the slightest evidence of magic in Tom's forge or his and Gwen's house, the blacksmith doesn't stand a chance; he will be executed.

*1 Hour Later, The Court Physician's Chambers*

"She's sleeping now." Gaius said, referring to Gwen, as he came out of my and Merlin's room.

"I don't understand." Merlin said quietly. "What would a sorcerer want with Tom?"

"His forge, Merlin." Gaius replied. "It's the finest in the kingdom."

"You think Tom was lying?" Merlin asked. "You think he really was making weapons."

"No, I don't."

"Then what?" I asked quietly.

"When Tom was arrested, they found gold on him." Gaius explained gravely.

"So?" Merlin asked.

"And from what Gwen was saying," Gaius started, and we all looked over at Gwen, who was sleeping peacefully in my bed. "Tom's experiment bears all the hallmarks of alchemy."

"But alchemy's impossible, isn't it?" I said, confused.

"To change the very nature of one thing to another has defeated all who have tried, but if you used magic..." Gaius trailed off pointedly, and I straightened my back in slight alarm.

"You think that's what woke us." I asked, though it came out more as a statement than question.

"It is possible, I suppose."

*10 Minutes Later*

I froze for a few seconds as I suddenly felt the same strong sensation of magic once again, before shaking my head to snap out of it and continued walking down the corridor of the castle. Merlin stayed behind, not wanting to leave Gwen even a second, so I decided to go on my own.

Once I reached my destination, I took a deep breath before raising my hand and knocking on the wooden door.

"Come in!" I heard a voice from the other side of the door, and opened the door, stepping inside the chambers. "Annabelle."

"Arthur, am I disturbing you?" I asked as I saw the Prince look up from the papers on his desk.

"No, not at all." He smiled. "Come in." I returned the smile with a small one of my own, and closed the door behind me, before walking over to the Pendragon. "What do you need?"

"I wanted to ask about Tom." I said somewhat hesitantly, and Arthur sighed. "What's going to happen to him?"

"My father believes he has committed treason."

"Gwen spoke with him." I said, making him look at me. "Tom didn't know that Tauren is a sorcerer. He simply showed up one day, and told him that he will pay a fortune if Tom helps him with some kind of experiment. Gwen's father wasn't making any weapons."

"That was my theory." Arthur nodded. "I told my father I don't believe that Tom is a traitor and that he is just an unknowing pawn in Tauren's plans." I smiled a small smile, despite the horrible situation my friend's in. Arthur is truly a good man in heart, a much better one than his father. "But my father is a stubborn man. Even if Tom didn't know what Tauren was planning, he still broke the law by conspiring with magicians and therefore, my father believes he should be punished."

"Is there nothing you can do?" I asked, and Arthur sighed before standing up from his chair and taking my hands in his.

"I will do everything I can." He said sincerely, making me nod shakily, afraid of Tom's fate. "But I can't promise anything." I nodded in understanding, before giving the Prince a small smile.

"Thank you." I said, before gently pulling my hands out of his and turning around to leave.

*5 Minutes Later*

As I opened the door to my and Merlin's room, I was a little shocked, though not much, to see Morgana there as well. To be honest, I definitely expect her to come and check on Gwen. She is a person of a kind soul and heart, and will always protect her friends 'till her last breath. Gwen is one of her best friends, so naturally she would check on her to make sure she's as alright as she can be.

"Morgana." I gave her a small smile, and she returned it before looking back at Gwen, who was still sleeping peacefully.

"We should let her rest." The Lady said, and Merlin and I nodded before following her out of the room, though Merlin was a little reluctant to leave.

"Morgana." I called quietly, and my best friend turned around to look at me. "Have you spoken to Uther?"

"He must realize this is a mistake." Merlin said.

"Whatever Tom was doing, it wasn't plotting against the King." I agreed, and Morgana sighed.

"I know that, of course I do." She said. "But Uther... Uther only sees enemies."

"But... Tom is the most gentle soul I've ever met." I said quietly, and Merlin nodded in agreement.

"But he was seen with Tauren." Morgana shook her head sadly. "That makes him an enemy." She said, before turning around to leave.

"Then..." Merlin started, and Morgana turned around to look at him. "There's little hope?"

"There's no hope, Merlin." She shook her head, her voice suddenly becoming cold. "None at all." She said, and walked out of Gaius's chambers. I sighed sadly and closed my eyes, putting my hand over them as Merlin sighed as well and looked over at Gwen sadly.

*2 Hours Later*

I stopped walking down the hallway with a laundry basket in my hands, and looked out the window, sighing sadly as I saw guards escort some men into the Square. They are all to be executed by the order of the King for giving a man, a sorcerer, a bed for the night. I shook my head and closed my tear-filled eyes, not wanting to see anything else. But I couldn't help but wonder... If all these men will be beheaded for giving a stranger a bed for the night... What would happen to Gaius if Uther ever found out that he allowed two magic user to live with him, knowingly?

*Night*

My eyes snapped open as I heard the alarm bell ringing through the castle. At first, I felt a small feeling of joy. Maybe Tom escaped. But then worry settled in. What if he was caught?

*The Next Day*

"NO!" Morgana and I shared a look as we heard the wail from outside, and I immediately walked over to the window, Morgana following suit, and opened it, feeling my heart break as I saw a tearful Gwen run down the steps into the Square. "No, father!" She cried as she ran over to Tom's body, which was carried off on a cart by two guards. "No, FATHER!" She cried, and I felt Morgana tense before she stormed out of her chambers, while I stayed where I was, watching my friend below with tears of my own. Guinevere just lost her father. Tom is dead.


	70. The Mage Stone

**I hope you all like this chapter!**

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*Third Person's P.O.V.*

Merlin and Annabelle entered their room slowly, looking at Guinevere, who was sitting on Annabelle's bed quietly with her hands folded on her lap and her head low, sympathetically. Merlin closed the door quietly, while his sister walked over to Gwen and knelt down in front of her, taking one of her hands in hers.

"How are you feeling?" She asked in a gentle voice, but Guinevere only shook her head.

"I just don't understand." She looked up. "Why did he try to escape? His trial was this morning." Gwen said, her voice cracking at the end as the face of her dead father flooded her mind.

Annabelle and Merlin both turned around as someone knocked on the door gently, and they were both surprised to see Arthur slowly enter. Guinevere also looked up, and immediately stood up to face the Prince, slipping her hand out of Annabelle's in the process. Annabelle also stood up, and looked at Arthur questioningly, wondering why he came to her and Merlin's room. The last time he was there was when he was searching the castle for the sorcerer who caused the plague by using an Afanc to contaminate the water supply.

"Sire." Guinevere greeted quietly in respect, looking at he Prince in surprise, but her voice trembled in fear slightly. Her father was, after all, considered a traitor. Will she be punished as well?

"Guinevere, I..." Arthur started, walking forward to stand in front of her and Annabelle. "Want you to know that your job is safe. And that your home is yours for life. I guarantee you that... I know that, under the circumstances, it's not much, but, um... Anything you want, anything you need, all you have to do is ask." He said, glancing at Merlin in the process as he saw the man's concern for Guinevere.

Prince Arthur then looked at Annabelle, who was looking at him with a small smile on her lips, and his own lips twisted into the smallest of smiles, seeing that the woman he is in love with is proud of him. He then gave a nod and turned around to leave, but he paused and turned to look at Guinevere once again.

"I'm sorry." He said sincerely.

"Thank you, Sire." Guinevere said quietly, feeling at least a bit of relief after finding out that her life isn't in danger. Arthur then gave her another nod, before turning around and opening the door, exiting the room.

"Arthur, wait!" Annabelle called quietly, before following the Prince out of the room, shutting the door behind her. As soon as the door closed, Guinevere fell back onto Annabelle's bed, and Merlin walked over to her and knelt down in front of her.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly, and Gwen shook her head.

"I know I should be. After all, my job is safe, as is my home. I should be alright, but... I don't think I ever will be." She whispered, before looking at Merlin as a tear trickled down her cheek. As soon as Merlin saw it, he moved to sit next to her on his sister's bed and wrapped his arms around her as she laid her head on his shoulder, the tears she tired to hold in now streaming down her cheeks. All this time, Merlin just held her tightly, not saying a word. He knew that he couldn't say anything to make the pain of loosing her father go away, so he just kept quiet and rubbed her arm with one of his comfortingly.

After a few minutes, Gwen's tears stopped pouring out of her eyes, but she let Merlin continue to keep her close.

"I know that nothing I ever say will make this better, but know that I am here for you." Merlin said quietly, making Gwen lift her head off of his shoulder and look into his radiant blue eyes. "I always will be." At that moment, they felt like it was only the two of them in the world, and Gwen found herself glancing down at his lips. They both looked into each other's eyes, before leaning in and closing the small gap between them. Merlin's lips touched hers, and he held her close as their lips moved in perfect synchronization.

Unknowingly to them, Annabelle opened the door after thanking Arthur for ensuring that Gwen will be safe from any punishment and proceeded to enter, but froze as she saw her friend and brother kissing. After a second, she smiled softly and slowly backed up, closing the door quietly, before turning around, her smile widening into a grin.

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*The Next Day, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Merlin, Annabelle." Gaius called as Merlin and I both came out of our room. "Come and take a look at this." I shared a glance with my brother, before we walked over to stand on either sides of Gaius, who was sitting at his table with an open book in front of him. "I've been doing some research, and found this." Gaius said, pointing at one of the pictures in the book. Merlin and I both leaned down, inspecting the object in the picture closely.

"The Mage Stone?" I asked after reading the words written by the picture Gaius was pointing at.

"Wonder of the ancients." Gaius said. "Lost for a thousand years or more."

"What does it do?" Merlin asked.

"Theoretically, it could give the bearer the power of transformation." Gaius said pointedly, and realization dawned on me.

"Gold." I said, before looking at my brother. "The power of alchemy."

"Exactly." Gaius nodded. "I believe it was the Mage Stone you two sensed on the night of Tom's arrest."

"Of course." I breathed out, making the two men look at me questioningly. "Gwen said that Tauren used some kind of stone."

*15 Minutes Later*

"Where's Morgana?" I asked Gwen, who was sitting on Morgana's bed in our friend's chambers, not seeing the Lady anywhere, which was very weird considering it was early in the morning.

"I don't know." Gwen replied. "She wasn't here when I arrived." I nodded and opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the door to Morgana's chambers opening. Gwen and I both turned around, and our eyes widened as we saw Morgana herself enter.

We weren't surprised because of her arrival. These are her chambers after all. But we were surprised because of appearance. Her hair was tangled, the hem of her gown was dirty (there were strands of hay on it as well), her face and hair had bits of dirt and dust, and she was holding her right wrist as if in pain.

"My Lady." Gwen stood up, and Morgana stopped, seeming surprised to see us both here.

"Gwen. Anna." She said before walking past us, keeping her head low. "I didn't expect to see you here." My brows furrowed as I heard the lie in her voice. Of course, it was possible that she was surprised to see Gwen here, seeing as the girl lost her father just the other day, but why on Earth would she be surprised to see _me_? It is, after all, my job to be with her and help her get dressed, bring her breakfast, or clean her chambers.

"What happened to you?" Gwen breathed out as she looked at Morgana's dirty dress with wide eyes.

"Nothing." Morgana replied quickly. _Too_ quickly. She also must have realized her mistake, and turned around to face us. "Well, nothing a hot bath wouldn't fix." She tried to wave it off, but our eyes were already on her wrist, and our eyes widened as we saw the red, raw bruises. I looked up at Morgana, silently begging her to tell us the truth. She must have recognized the look, because she took a deep breath and told us the truth. "I spent the night in the dungeon."

"Uther." I sighed.

"He doesn't like to be challenged." Morgana said, and I shook my head, not wanting to believe, even if I knew it was true, that the King is heartless enough to throw his own _ward_ in the dungeons only because she disagreed with him. But then again, it's not much of a surprise; Uther has shown himself to be a tyrant ever since Merlin and I arrived in Camelot.

Morgana then moved to go behind the screen, but was stopped by Gwen.

"It wasn't about my father, was it?"

"You have enough to deal with without worrying about such things." Morgana tried to maneuver out of Gwen finding out the truth, but we already knew the answer to the question.

"You shouldn't have done that." Gwen shook her head. "Not on my behalf. If anything happened to you I couldn't bear it." She said, tears coming to her eyes and her voice changing into a whisper.

"You need to go home, Gwen." I said, seeing how exhausted emotionally my friend is.

"Anna's right." Morgana agreed. "Get some rest, please."

"I'm fine." Gwen said, but Morgana and I could both easily tell that she was lying. Her voice was quiet, and her eyes held tears and sadness.

Gwen then proceeded to start cleaning up the chambers, but Morgana and I were still worried.

"I insist." Morgana pressed, but Gwen just walked past us, keeping her head low.

"Gwen?" I asked, concerned, as I heard her let out a shaky breath. I walked up to her, Morgana hot on my heels, and cautiously put my hands on her shoulders. "Gwen?"

"I can't go home." Gwen said, her voice thick with fear and tears she was trying to hold in.

"It's understandable." Morgana said, placing her hand on Gwen's arm comfortingly. "To feel so alone." Gwen only shook her head, and turned around, walking past us once again.

"Tauren..." She trailed off quietly, and my eyes widened.

"Tauren?" I repeated, walking over to stand in front of her, Morgana following closely.

"He attacked me." Gwen said, tears in her eyes. "He threatened me. He was looking for some kind of stone."

"Stone?" Morgana and I both asked, although I was almost entirely sure that Tauren was talking about the Mage Stone.

"He said if I didn't bring it to him, he'd kill me." Gwen explained. "He's waiting for me in the Darkling Woods. I have to do something. If I don't get this stone to him by dawn tomorrow..." I wrapped my arms around her comfortingly as she took in deep breaths, trying to hold in her tears, when Morgana's expression suddenly changed into a determined one and she walked past us, heading towards the doors.

"Where are you going?" I asked as Gwen pulled away, but allowed me to keep my arm wrapped around her, and Morgana stopped and turned around to look at me.

"Well, to send the guards, of course." She said, before looking at Gwen. "It won't be _you_ that Tauren meets. It'll be the Knights of Camelot."

*Night*

My eyes snapped open as, once again, felt the sensation of powerful magic. At first, I tried to ignore it, but the sensation grew more powerful to the point where I had to clutch my head because I was starting to get a headache.

"What on Earth...?" I murmured, before getting out of bed as I saw Merlin slowly sit up in his bed. I quickly went behind the screen and changed, also putting on my cloak. "Come on." I said to Merlin, who also changed while I was behind the screen. "I'm not going to be able to get through the night if we don't find out what's going on with that stone." I said, knowing that the sensation of the magic we both feel comes from the Mage Stone.

Merlin and I left Gaius's quarters and walked down one of the main corridors on the second floor, but I stopped as I saw someone leaving through the castle gates. My eyes widened as I recognized the cloak. I've washed it enough times to know whom it belongs to; _Morgana_.

"Come on." I said, and grabbed Merlin's hand, pulling him down the corridor.

*45 Minutes Later*

After following Morgana out of the castle and through the Lower Town, Merlin and I have eventually reached the Darkling Woods as the sun began to rise. My brother and I quietly walked on the ground above Morgana, and hid behind a tree as she stopped. Not a moment later, four hooded men, three of them with their swords drawn, surrounded her.

"Where's your maid?" One of the men asked.

"I've come in her place." Morgana replied quietly.

"Kill her." The man ordered, obviously being the leader, leading me to the conclusion that he is Tauren.

"No! wait! I brought the stone!" Morgana exclaimed, taking out a small object in a small brown bag.

"What else have you brought, My Lady?" Tauren asked. "The Knights of Camelot?"

"I came alone, I promise you." Morgana said, and Tauren took off his hood, although all I could see was short, dark brown hair, seeing as his back was turned towards me and Merlin.

"Give me the stone." He ordered, and Morgana quickly handed it over to him. "You were foolish to come here." He said as he turned around for a moment while taking out the stone, allowing me to see his face. He appeared to be in his mid or late 40's, and had a scruffy beard. "I had no quarrel with your maid. But you, My Lady Morgana..." He trailed off, before unsheathing his sword and touching the tip of it to Morgana stomach. "You are Uther's ward." He sneered.

"If you kill me, you'll regret it."

"And why is that?"

"Because I want Uther dead too." My eyes widened and my breath hitched in my throat as these words left Morgana's lips.

"You?" Tauren chuckled in disbelief. "An enemy of the King? And I'm to believe that?"

"Why else would I be here?" Morgana countered.

"I can only guess at your motives, My Lady." Tauren said, before he turned his head to the left, making me immediately duck behind the tree so that he wouldn't see me. "You could be a spy for all I know."

"And this?" Morgana flipped back her sleeves and showed him her bruised wrists from the shackles she was chained with over the previous night. "Is it usual for Uther to chain his friends to a dungeon wall?" She snapped, and Tauren stared at her for a long moment before dropping his arm that held the sword. "The stone." Morgana started, looking down at the stone in Tauren's hand. "You took it to the forge. Why?"

"With it a man can alter the very essence of things." Tauren answered. "He can turn a lump of led... Into gold."

"Gold?" Morgana chuckled humorlessly. "A good man _died_ in your quest for riches, Tauren. His daughter is now an orphan."

"I'm sorry for that." Tauren said, and I could actually hear the sincerity in his voice, which surprised me as I peered from behind the tree once again. "Truly... For we did not want the gold to line our pockets. The gold was but a means. A means to rid this kingdom of Uther Pendragon once and for all."

"What are you saying?"

"Bribery is rife at Camelot... I will use the corruption at the heart of his kingdom. And such abundance of gold will buy me into the King's chambers. Even to the King himself." Tauren said, and I could almost laugh at how foolish his plan was. Some people may be bribed, but there are many others who will never sell their king to someone who offers them simply a lump of gold.

"The guards may be fools, Tauren, but the King is not." Morgana shook her head.

"Do you have a better plan?" Tauren asked, finally sheathing his sword.

"To get to Uther, you need someone close to him." Morgana said, speaking so quietly I almost couldn't hear her.

"And you know of such a person?" Tauren asked, but he looked like he already knew the answer. I fear that I do as well.

"I do." Morgana replied. "Me."


	71. To Kill the King

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**Guest**** \- You know what? I'm fed up with your reviews. I tried to be nice and polite, but I see it went to no use. You left a review on my 67th, and then on my 70TH chapter. For God's sake, if you hate my story so much, then why do you keep reading it? There's no point! So just stop, and leave me alone, 'cause I can honestly say that you are one of the rudest people I have ever met anywhere, and I'm sick of you! So just stop reading my story, and leave me alone. There are over 150 people who actually enjoy reading this story, so saying that it's "an insult to the characters and the show" is a bit too much, I think. So you either keep your rude opinions to yourself, or just stop reading!**

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*Third Person's P.O.V.*

"Pass the salt please, Merlin." Gaius said politely as he, Merlin, and Annabelle sat at breakfast only an hour after Morgana's meeting with Tauren. Merlin, who was staring at his bowl for the past five minutes, slowly reached out his hand, without looking up, to grasp an object on the table before passing it to Gaius. The Court Physician's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and slight worry as he looked down at the apple in his hand, and he looked over at Merlin and Annabelle, who both held solemn expressions as they stared at their food silently. "Are you two alright?" Gaius asked, concerned, as he saw tears in Annabelle's eyes, who strongly held them back, even though she just found out that her best friend is going to betray the King and Camelot.

"What?" Both Merlin and Annabelle spoke up quietly, finally looking up.

"Yeah." Merlin nodded, lying. Even though he is a terrible liar, he decided to take this situation on his shoulders, seeing that Morgana's betrayal has hit Annabelle hard. But, of course, Annabelle refused to break down. She refused to let her tears fall. "We've just got a few things on our minds, that's all."

"Anything you'd like to talk to me about?" Gaius asked gently as he put down the apple, still glancing at Annabelle worriedly.

"I can't imagine you'd be interested." Annabelle spoke up for the first time, and Gaius tried to look into her eyes to find out what's really wrong. Unfortunately for him, unlike her brother, Annabelle was not easy to read.

"So long as you're both sure." Gaius said softly, and Merlin gave a slight nod.

"We should be getting to work." He said, before getting up from the bench he was sitting on and heading towards the door behind him as Annabelle stood up.

"Er, Merlin?" Gaius called as he saw the young man walking towards the door, and Merlin turned around to look at him questioningly. "That's a broom cupboard."

*10 Minutes Later*

Not keeping to what they told Gaius, Merlin and Annabelle walked down the tunnel stairway, with Merlin carrying a lit torch, and entered the Great Dragon's cave. Looking at the Dragon, who seemed to be asleep on the big rocks in front of them, Annabelle cleared her throat loudly, not having time to be gentle about waking him up.

The Great Dragon stirred before opening his eyes and looking at the two magicians as he sat up slowly, trying not to yawn.

"Well, young sorceress." He nodded at Annabelle, before bringing his gaze onto Merlin and giving him a nod. "Young warlock." He then looked back at Annabelle. "What is it that you come to ask of me?"

"I need your help." Annabelle said in an unusually shaky voice, forgetting to mention her brother as her eyes pleaded with the Dragon, whose eyes seemed to soften a bit.

"Of course you do." He nodded, speaking surprisingly softly. "But this time, will you heed my words?"

"The sorcerer, Tauren, is plotting to kill the King." Merlin said, stepping forward, not wanting to burden his sister with the explanations. "He's made an ally of Morgana." At that, Annabelle swallowed hard. "We don't know what to do."

"Do... Nothing." The Great Dragon said.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, his tone becoming slightly cold. "If we do nothing, Uther will die."

"Don't you both want Uther dead? It is Uther that persecutes you and your sister, and your and her kind, Merlin. It is Uther that murders the innocent-"

"But surely that doesn't make it right to kill him." Annabelle spoke up for the first time, stepping forward. "We do that, we're just as bad as him."

"Only if Uther dies, can magic return to the land. Only if Uther dies, will you both be free, Annabelle. Uther's reign is at an end. Let Arthur's reign begin." The Great Dragon said, looking at the siblings, before leaping off the rocks and up into the air, the shackle on his ankle clattering with every movement. "Fulfill your destinies!"

"Wait!" Merlin called, but was ignored.

"Where does it say our destinies include murder?!" Annabelle yelled, not willing to let the thought of killing an innocent into her head. Even if that innocent was someone like Uther.

"Free this land from tyranny, Annabelle!" The Great Dragon called from above. "Free us all!"

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Do you think Uther's a good king?" I asked Gaius as Merlin and I sat on a bench in his quarters, my chin resting on top of my hand as Merlin tapped his foot nervously.

"Sorry?" Gaius asked, seeming confused by my question, and Merlin cleared his throat.

"Uther." He repeated what I said, his voice shaking slightly. "Do you think he's good for the kingdom?"

"Yes. Yes, I do." Gaius said after a moment of silence. "In the light of recent events, you both might find it hard to believe."

"'Hard'?" I repeated. "No. Impossible? Definitely."

"Annabel-"

"Everyone hates him." Merlin cut our guardian off, still not looking at him.

"It is not Uther's job to be liked." Gaius said as he stood up from his bench, where he was separating some kind of powder into different glass bottles, and walked over to us. "It is Uther's job to protect the kingdom." He said, leaning on the table Merlin and I were sitting in front of. "Sometimes his methods are good. Sometimes, he may go too far."

"Really?" I asked in a cold tone. "You mean like executing anyone who even passes a sorcerer on the street?" Gaius lowered his head, but I couldn't stop myself from sounding so cold. Every time Merlin and I don't listen to the Great Dragon, trouble happens, and then the Dragon is proven right. Now, I'm simply desperate to find evidence that he is right this time as well... Even if I don't agree with his sentence.

"Yes." Gaius finally answered as he pushed off the table. "But, despite Uther's failings, he has brought peace and prosperity to this kingdom." He said, walking over to sit on the bench in front of my and my brother.

"But at what cost?" I exclaimed. "At the cost of women and children, fathers and sons... When will it end?" I asked, my voice turning soft at the end.

"It will end when Arthur is King."

"Then why not let that time be now?" Merlin asked, his voice quiet from the emotion he was holding in. "Why not let Arthur be King?"

"Arthur's not ready." Gaius said, looking at us in surprise that such thoughts had entered our minds. With the way Merlin was speaking, he must be suspecting that we might try murdering the King... Which is exactly what the Great Dragon told us to do. "The responsibility would be too great. Brave though he may be, he lacks experience, he lacks judgement." I saw Merlin close his eyes and shake his head as he looked away, trying to hold the tears in. I quickly placed my hand on top of his and squeezed it comfortingly. He squeezed it back, knowing that this is all just as hard on me as it is on him. It might, even though I never admitted it, be even harder for me than it is for him.

Gaius, noticing that we were struggling to hold our emotions in, stood up and walked forward to stand in front of us.

"Is there anything you two want to tell me?"

"We can't!" Merlin exclaimed, not being able to take this anymore. "I-I just... No, we can't."

"You've just got to trust." I said, trying to comfort my brother silently. "Gaius, it's something we've got to work out for ourselves." I said, my voice softer.

"I do trust the both of you, Annabelle." Gaius said genuinely. "Whatever it is... I know you and your brother will make the right decision."

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

As soon as Lady Morgana came outside the palace walls, Tauren ordered his men to put down their swords and walked over to her.

"So, My Lady. What news?"

"Uther has fallen for the bait." Morgana replied. "We ride out in the morning for the Old Cairn on the hill." She has told Uther that Tom's death and Gwen's tears have reminded her of her own father's, Gorlois's, death. She told him that it has opened an old wound, which hurt too much to ignore. Uther, believing her entirely, apologized, and Morgana proposed for him to visit her father's grave with her.

"Are you sure you've committed to this?" Tauren asked, needing to be completely sure that his plan would succeed.

"More than ever I want Uther dead." Morgana replied seriously. "As much as you, as much anyone in this rotten kingdom of his."

"Then the deed is as good as done." Tauren said, before leaving the Lady as she made her way back to the castle. Unknowingly to them both, Merlin and Annabelle both watched from above behind a castle wall, hearing every single word.

*The Next Day*

Annabelle knelt down in front of her bed and grabbed Sophia Tír-Mòr's staff, which was wrapped up in a brown cloth so that no one who was in her and Merlin's room would notice the bright blue light coming from the crystal, that she kept after the two Sidhes tried to sacrifice Prince Arthur at the Lake of Avalon. Annabelle then stood up, and nearly fell back on her bed as the door burst open and her brother stopped in front of her.

"I'm not letting Uther die Merlin." She said strongly, and Merlin nodded, slightly breathless because of the run all the way from Arthur's chambers.

"I was about to tell you the same thing." He then looked down at the staff in her hand. "And I was about to grab that as well." He chuckled breathlessly, and his sister looked at him questioningly.

"What made you change your mind?" She asked. Merlin was almost entirely sure that letting Uther die might be the best choice, so why was he now so suddenly willing to save his life?

"Someone made me see a different point of view."

"Was it Gwen?" Annabelle smirked, and Merlin blushed slightly, knowing he won't be able to keep anything from his sister, so there's no point in lying to her. "What did she tell you?"

"Basically the same thing you said to the Dragon." He said, before running out of their room, with Annabelle close on his heels.

_"We do that, we're just as bad as him."_

_"That would make me a murderer. That would make me as bad as him."_

*45 Minutes Later*

After constant running, Merlin and Annabelle stopped once they reached the hill where Gorlois's grave was located. As they slowly made their way forward, breathing heavily, they saw two Camelot guards, who were accompanying the King and his ward, dead on the ground. The two siblings shared a look, before slowly proceeding forward, seeing the renegades close by where Uther and Morgana were at Gorlois's grave.

As the two young magicians slowly approached the bandits, Annabelle stopped and raised the staff.

"Ácwele." She whispered, and a bright blue light shot out from the crystal on top of the staff and hit one of the bandits, the force throwing him back, killing him instantly. The second bandit whipped around and unsheathed his sword, but Annabelle already aimed the staff at him, and the same force threw him back, killing him.

Tauren, who was watching Uther and Morgana, heard footsteps behind him, and pulled out the Mage Stone, turning around to face the siblings. Noticing that the young woman was carrying a staff that could destroy him, he pulled for the power of his own mixed with the power of the stone, and raised the stone in the air, which shot out a bright gold light, which hit Annabelle in the chest before she could even react.

"Anna!" Merlin yelled in fear, before he noticed Tauren. He then quickly grabbed the staff from his sister's limp hand, and aimed it at Tauren. "Ácwele!" A bright blue light shot out from the staff towards Tauren, but the older sorcerer quickly dodged it and held up the Mage Stone, which reflected the shot from the staff and reversed it, making the force from the staff shoot at Merlin, hitting him in chest, making fall down next to his sister, unconscious.

Meanwhile, Uther placed his gloved hand on Morgana's cheek, making her look at him.

"You've been a blessing to me, Morgana. You are the daughter I never had. Your council is invaluable to me, as is your friendship and your love. Without you I cannot hope to be king this land deserves."

"My Lord..." Morgana shook her head, tears in her eyes.

"Please forgive me, Morgana." Uther pleaded, as Morgana looked up, her eyes filled with tears when she saw Tauren sneaking up on Uther with a dagger in his hand.

"No! NO!" She screamed as she shook her head in fright, ducking as Uther whipped around just in time to deflect the blow and pull Tauren to the ground. The two men rolled down the hill, one on top of the other, wrestling for dominance as Annabelle and Merlin slowly regained consciousness. Tauren eventually managed to get on top of the King, holding him down as he pulled out his dagger, holding it above Uther's face as Annabelle picked up the staff and she and Merlin, both still weak from the magical hits, tried to climb up a small but steep hill.

"Die." Tauren growled. "Uther Pendragon." Just as the King of Camelot started to fail to keep the dagger away from his heart, Tauren suddenly gasped in pain, his eyes wide and veins visible on his temples. Uther pushed the dead man off of him, only to reveal Morgana, who was standing above him with a dagger of her own in her hand. She quickly dropped it as she breathed heavily, tears still in her eyes.

Merlin and Annabelle slowly walked up the hill, before quickly ducking behind the tall grass as they saw Uther make his way towards Morgana, pulling her into him arms, their cloaks flying around them. Morgana returned the hug, and Annabelle couldn't help but smile in relief as tears of her own built up in her eyes, but she held them back as Merlin grabbed her hand, knowing how scared she was that she might have to fight her best friend in order to save the King. Thankfully, it didn't come to that.

* * *

*1 Hour Later, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Ah! Busy day?" Gaius asked quite cheerfully as Merlin and I entered his quarters.

"Had its moments." I replied with a small smile.

"I hear that Tauren tried to assassinate Uther."

"That's what we heard." Merlin said, a small smile on his lips as well.

"And Morgana saved him." Gaius continued as my brother and I stopped heading toward our room, turning around to face him as he crossed his arms over his chest. "How many men were there? Three? Four?"

"Yeah, something like that." I answered, playing it off as if it was only a story I heard someone tell, turning around to head to mine and Merlin's room, wanting nothing more than a nap.

"Morgana must have shown extraordinary courage to have defended the a king against such odds." Gaius continued, making me stop and turn around to face him once again, nodding in agreement. Morgana did prove to be a courageous woman, just as I always thought she was. "I suppose you two had nothing to do with it?"

"Oh, you know. Just background stuff." I replied simply with a small smile as Merlin shrugged, before we headed toward our room.

"No need to be so modest, you two." Gaius called after us, making us stop and turn around once again.

"Sorry." Merlin apologized.

"It's not a criticism." Gaius said, looking at us with a small smile. "It's a compliment."

"Right." Merlin nodded, making me chuckle quietly before I looked at Gaius.

"Thanks, Gaius." I smiled, before turning around and entering mine and Merlin's room, simply collapsing onto my bed, seeing as I didn't have a good night's sleep for the past four days.

* * *

**Well, that's it for this episode. Now, we only have the season finale left and we'll be finished with season 1! So, tell me what you thought of my interpretation of this episode? What did you think of the plot, and of Anna's feelings towards Morgana's treachery? What did you think about Anna's relationship with Morgana and Gwen? What about Gwen and Merlin? Please leave a review! **


	72. The Bite of the Questing Beast

**I hope you all like this chapter!**

**Reviews:**

**Guest**** \- Yes, Annabelle will be much more involved as we go further into the show.**

**Guest**** \- I'm sorry if I make a few mistakes, but I do try.**

**Guest**** \- Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not really adding anything extra. That is literally what Merlin said and how he acted in the show. I just used Annabelle to point out the thoughts that were going through MY head when I saw the scene.**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"The creature you describe has all the characteristics of the Questing Beast." Gaius told the King as they, Arthur, Merlin, some of the most trusted knights, and I stood in the Council Chambers. Arthur, my brother, and the Knights have returned from a hunt about 15 minutes ago, and Arthur immediately wanted to summon the Court. Apparently, he and the other men have been attacked by a giant, scaled creature with the body of a leopard and the head of a cobra. One of the Knights, who was also one of my friends, Sir Bedivere, was killed.

"Surely that's a myth." Arthur said, and I took in a deep breath. It might be just a myth, seeing as the creature hasn't been seen for ages, but it might also be true... Just like the Griffin. As my thoughts trailed to the beast we defeated quite a long time ago, Lancelot's clouded my mind, and I swallowed hard in order to keep myself from showing any emotions as I stood in the corner of the Council Chambers. Even after all this time, I still miss the brave and noble man.

"According tot he old books, the appearance of the Questing Beast is supposed to foreshadow a time of great upheaval." Gaius continued, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Gaius, it's an old wives' tale." Uther said somewhat dismissively, but I'm sure I wasn't the only one who could hear the strain in his voice and see the tension in his posture.

"Look, whatever it is, it's spreading panic." Arthur cut in, most likely also seeing how tense his father is. "The people fear it will enter the city."

"Then we must kill it." Uther said. "Arthur, gather the guard together. You ride at dawn." He ordered, and I saw Arthur share a look with Merlin before everyone bowed and started to leave, with me following quietly after I curtsied.

*Evening*

"This is no ordinary beast, Merlin." Gaius warned, an open book in his hands, as I sat on a bench in his quarters, stitching up a small whole in one of Morgana's robes' sleeves, while Merlin balanced his sword (the one he kept after Gwen gave it to him a few hours before we left for Ealdor two and a half months ago) in his hand.

"Don't worry." Merlin answered with a small dismissive smile, but I saw that Gaius was being deadly serious.

"No, listen to me, you don't understand." He said, making my brother look at him as he also heard the seriousness in our guardian's voice. "Uther may not respect the Old Religion, but it is very real." He said as he stepped closer to Merlin to show him something on a page in the book he was holding, and I quickly put Morgana's robe down on the table and walked over to them, standing on Gaius's other side. "To face a beast such as this, you must understand where it came from."

"What do you mean?" I asked, and Gaius looked over at me before looking down at the picture of a creature, which fitted Arthur's description perfectly, in the book.

"At the very heart of the Old Religion lies the magic of life and death itself." Gaius said as he closed the book, making Merlin stop cleaning his sword and look at him. "The Questing Beast carries that power. One bite, you die. _And there is no cure._" My eyes widened slightly and I looked at Merlin with fear in my eyes, knowing that he and Arthur will both face that thing tomorrow.

*2 Hours Later*

After Merlin assured me at least 55 times that he and Arthur will be safe, I reluctantly finished stitching up Morgana's robe and walked to her chambers in order to return it to her wardrobe. As I neared the doors to her chambers, I heard an all too familiar scream from the other side of the door. Without thinking twice, I quickly ran into her chambers, only to see my best friend sitting up in her bed, with beads of sweat on her forehead as she looked around the chambers, a far away look in her eyes which lead me tot eh conclusion that she is still caught up in the nightmare, even if her eyes are open, as whimpers escaped her lips.

"Morgana?! Morgana!" I exclaimed as I threw her robe down on the nearest chair and ran over to Morgana, grabbing her arms gently. "Wake up! Wake up! It's me, it's Annabelle! Stop it." I exclaimed, my voice softening at the end, as I struggled against her, trying to calm her down as continued to let out screams and whimpers, the horrible images of her nightmare continuing to flash before her eyes. "It was just another dream." I said quietly as I placed my hands on either sides of her face and stroked her cheekbones with my thumbs gently, trying to calm her down, knowing that her nightmare must have been awful.

"It was terrifying." Morgana whimpered, finally looking into my eyes, and I could clearly see the fear in hers.

"Oh, it's going to be alright." I soothed as I sat on her bed, hugging her close to me as she hugged me just as tightly (if not tighter), tucking her face in the crook of my neck. I felt something wet on my neck, and I knew that she started to cry, which made me rub her back comfortingly as I whispered comforting words in her ear. But at the same time, fear rose up in my chest. What was she dreaming about?... And will it come true?

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V., The Next Day*

"You've seen the foe we face." Prince Arthur said to the Knights as he stood before them in the Square, with Merlin slightly behind him. "It's a creature of nightmare. But you are the best knights in the realm. We can, and we _will_, kill it, before it harms another citizen of our kingdom." He said, before unsheathing his sword and raised it in the air. "For the love of Camelot."

"For the love of Camelot!" The Knights repeated as they drew their swords and held them up as well, while Annabelle watched from a window in one of the corridors.

"Arthur!" Lady Morgana called in a frightened voice as she ran out of the castle and down the steps, barefoot and in her nightgown, tears in her eyes.

"Morgana, what are you doing?" Arthur asked, confused, as he sheathed his sword.

"You cannot face it!" Morgana exclaimed, clearly terrified, as she grabbed Arthur's arms tightly, while Annabelle took in a deep breath, seeing the commotion in the Square, before quickly running down the corridor she was standing in.

"Morgana, go back to bed." Arthur ordered as he struggled with the shaking Morgana. "There is nothing to be afraid of."

"Please, Arthur." Morgana whimpered. "I have seen terrible things. You cannot go!"

"She probably had a bad dream, Sire." Merlin whispered to Arthur. "I'll take her to see Gaius."

"NO!" Morgana yelled, terrified of the fate that might befall the Prince who has been like a brother to her ever since she came to live in the castle. "I will not let you die!" She struggled.

"Please, Merlin, get her inside." Arthur hissed, not wanting anyone to see the Lady Morgana behaving this way and spread rumors about her mental state.

"NO!" Morgana struggled as Merlin grabbed her by her arms, just as Annabelle ran out of the castle.

"I will make sure he's safe, My Lady, I promise." Merlin assured quietly as Annabelle ran down the steps towards them, quickly grabbing Morgana by the arms gently and trying to lead her up the stairs.

"NO! No!" Morgana cried, but Annabelle pulled her up the stairs, using a little force and shooing the guards who came over to help her get the Lady inside.

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

As soon as I managed to pull Morgana back inside, I gestured for the guards to shut the doors, not wanting anyone to see her in this state.

"Morgana. Morgana! You need to calm down." I ordered softly, seeing how terrified she was but still not wanting anyone to spread nay rumors.

"No, Anna please! You have to listen to me! The creature-"

"It's going to be alright." I assured as I pulled her into a hug, although I'm not quite sure if it was for her comfort or mine.

"No, you don't understand." Morgana pulled away, but still let me keep my hands on her arms, clearly needing comfort. "Arthur is going to die!" My breath hitched in my throat as I stared at Morgana with wide eyes, before turning my head to look out the nearest window, seeing Arthur, my brother, and the Knights ride out of Camelot.

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V., 2 Hours Later*

Merlin quickly cleared the table in Gaius's quarters in one sweep, allowing two guards to lay the unconscious Prince, who was lying on a stretcher, down on it as Gaius looked at the pale Arthur with wide eyes.

"What's happened?!" He exclaimed, just as Annabelle ran into the chambers, seeing the guards carry Arthur from the window in Lady Morgana's chambers. Gaius quickly leaned down to inspect the wound on Arthur's left shoulder, before looking up with wide eyes. "He's been bitten."

"I tried to save him." Merlin shook his head, breathing heavily, as tears built up in Annabelle's eyes. However, she strongly forced them back, before looking at the two guards who carried Arthur in.

"You must tell the King." She said, and the two men nodded before leaving quickly as she looked at the unconscious, bleeding Prince in horror.

"There must be something you can do." Merlin said desperately, looking at Gaius.

"I wish there was." The physician replied solemnly.

"I'll find a cure." Merlin said, before running into his and Annabelle's room.

"Merlin!"

"Trust me!"

As Merlin disappeared in the small room, Annabelle walked over to stand on the other side of the table Arthur was lying on while Gaius leaned down.

"Can you hear me, Sire?" He asked, quietly, but there was no response whatsoever.

"Here." Merlin said as he ran out of his and Annabelle's room, carrying the book of magic in his hands and placing it on a table.

"The King will be here any moment!" Gaius exclaimed, but Merlin looked at him pleadingly.

"He can't die. It is my destiny to protect him." The Warlock said, revealing the secret of his destiny to Gaius. "We haven't done all the things we're meant to do." He explained, but he didn't mention how his sister is involved.

"That is a lament of all men." Gaius said, although he did believe what Merlin was saying.

"Gaius." Merlin pleaded, making the Court Physician look at him. "He's my friend."

"Then save him." Gaius replied after a short moment of silence, and Merlin barely nodded before he looked down at the book and closed his eyes, letting his magic flip through the pages until it finds the right spell. As soon as he felt it was the right one, his golden eyes snapped open and the pages stopped flipping, stopping on a particular page. Merlin quickly read the spell, before extending his open palm in Arthur's direction.

"Gestathole." He tried, but nothing happened. Once again, the Warlock used his magic to flip through the book, before stopping on another page and reading the spell. "Thurhhaele." Still, to everyone's despair, nothing happened. "Maybe the spells need time to take effect."

"The bite of the Questing Beast is a death sentence that no magic can overturn." Gaius said gravely.

"Where is the Prince?! Where is my son?!" The three of them heard a voice from outside, and not a second alter the King barged in. Thankfully, Uther was too focused on Arthur to notice the book of magic, which Merlin quickly and magically closed.

King Uther leaned down, staring at his son with wide, terrified eyes, before he placed his hands on either sides of Arthur's face and looking up at Gaius pleadingly.

"Do something, Gaius." He pleaded, and Annabelle couldn't help but feel a bit of surprise as she heard how desperate and begging the King sounded at the moment.

"I am trying, Your Majesty." Gaius replied, as Uther held his son's face in his hands.

"Gaius will find a cure." Annabelle spoke up, her voice shaking only the slightest bit. "He will not let the Prince die."

"I will do everything in my power." Gaius agreed. Uther quickly threw his son's limp arm over his shoulders, before picking him up into his arms.

"I'll bear him to his chamber." He said, the tears he desperately tried to hold in slowly escaping his eyes as he headed out the door, with Gaius, Merlin, and Annabelle quickly following.

As the King walked through the Square with Arthur in his arms, Gaius followed him closely while Annabelle and Merlin watched solemnly from a little further away. After a few moments, Uther couldn't take it any longer and collapsed to his knees in grief. As soon as he did so, four Knights ran over and took the Prince from his arms, and everyone stopped to watch as the King wept silently. Gaius knelt down next to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, while Lady Morgana opened the window that overlooked the Square from her chambers and stared at the scene before her in horror. The Knights carried the wounded Prince up the steps as fast as they could, while Gaius helped the King to his feet. All this time, Annabelle watched with tears in her eyes as she realized that the man she loves is dying.


	73. The Old Religion

**I hope you all like this chapter!**

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Merlin and I quickly ran down the stone stairway, with my brother carrying a lit torch, before entering the Great Dragon's cave . This time, we didn't even have to call him, because the Dragon seemed to be waiting for us on the big rocks in front of us.

"I've failed Arthur." Merlin said with tears in his eyes, not bothering to exchange a 'hello'.

"We both have." I murmured to Merlin, before looking up at the Dragon. "We've failed in our destinies." I said, believing completely that this is also my fault. From the moment Morgana had that nightmare, I should have known that something horrible is going to happen. I should have done something.

"And yet you two would not be here if that were true." The Great Dragon said.

"He was bitten by the Questing Beast!" I exclaimed.

"He's going to die." Merlin said, and I swallowed a lump in my throat in order to prevent myself from showing any emotion.

"Does he still breathe?" The Dragon asked.

"Only just." I answered.

"Then there is still time to heal him."

"I've tried." Merlin said. "I cannot save him."

"And neither can I." I said, knowing that I won't be able to do anything if Merlin's magic didn't even have the slightest effect.

"You do not know how to save him." The Great Dragon replied calmly in a soft voice.

"But you can tell us how?" I asked hopefully.

"Perhaps." The Dragon replied, making me furrow my eyebrows. "It will not be easy."

"We will do anything." I said.

"'Anything'?"

"Please, just tell us what we have to do!" I exclaimed exasperated.

"Very well." The Dragon said. "The Questing Beast is a creature conjured by the powers of the Old Religion. You must use the same ancient magic to save him."

"But the Old Religion died out centuries ago." Merlin said, confused by what the Dragon is telling us. To be honest, I was confused myself.

"The Old Religion is the magic of the Earth itself. It is the essence which binds all things together. It will last long beyond the time of men."

"But how can that help us save Arthur?" I asked.

"You must find those who still serve it." The Great Dragon said. "Those who hold dominion over life and death."

"Where?" I asked.

"Got to the place that men call the 'Isle of the Blessed', where the power of the ancients can still be felt. There you discover Arthur's salvation."

"Thank you." I said, as Merlin started heading back. "Thank you." I said one more time, and started to follow my brother, who was already out of the cave.

"And Annabelle!" The Dragon called, making me stop and turn around. "The young Pendragon must live. No matter what the cost." I nodded, even though my brows furrowed in confusion. There was more to it that met the eye. The Great Dragon isn't telling me something.

*5 Minutes Later*

"Merlin, Annabelle." Gaius said, looking up briefly, as we entered his quarters. "You're back. Merlin, I need your help. You must get this to Arthur to ease his passing." He said as he held up a glass bottle with some kind of liquid in it. My eyes widened and I looked at the Court Physician in disbelief. Is he really going to give up so easily?

"No." I said, making him look at me.

"We have to save him." Merlin backed me up as he started packing food.

"You've already tried." Gaius said.

"The beast comes from the Old Religion." I said as I helped Merlin. "The cure must come from there as well."

"There are not many left with such an art." Gaius said as I quickly grabbed two flasks from a shelf.

"You said it yourself, the Old Religion is still alive." I said, not wanting to mention the Dragon. "And there is an island beyond the White Mountains-"

"No!" Gaius cut me off, making me and Merlin look at him in slight surprise.

"...The Isle of the Blessed." I finished, my voice now quieter. "You know it?"

"It was said to be the centre of the Old Religion." Gaius said. "The focus of its power."

"Why did you keep this from us?" I asked incredulously.

"Because it was too dangerous, Annabelle."

"It's our only chance!" I exclaimed, willing to do anything it takes in order to save Arthur. "We have to find it." I said determinedly, walking over to a bag that was lying on the table and putting the flasks inside.

"And once you're there, what will you ask?!"

"For Arthur to be saved." I replied simply.

"The Questing Beast chose Arthur, that means the Old Religion has decided his fate." Gaius said.

"Then we will convince them to change their minds!" I yelled, the fact that Arthur is lying on his deathbed twisting my heart painfully.

"It is not that simple!" Gaius yelled as Merlin walked over to us. I stared at Gaius, my face emotionless, and his eyes softened as he took a deep breath. "The High Priests have the power to mirror life and death, but there will be a price to pay. They will demand a life in return. Annabelle, please." Gaius pleaded with me as my eyes filled with tears. "I beg of you."

"I'm sorry, Gaius." I whispered. "Whatever the price is, I will pay it gladly."

*The Next Day*

As I finished up packing the necessities, Merlin entered our room after seeing Gwen, and took the bag from my hands.

"Anna, maybe you should stay here." He said gently, and I looked at him in disbelief.

"No. No way." I said, but he grabbed my arms, not allowing me to move. "We have to save him!"

"I know." He said. "I know. But maybe I should go alone."

"There's no way in hell I'm letting you sacrifice yourself." I shook my head.

"It's my destiny-"

"And so is mine!" I cut my brother off as tears filled my eyes, but I forced them back.

"Your destiny is to be the Queen of Camelot. And it's my destiny to protect your husband." Merlin tried to joke, but his eyes filled with tears. "Ever since we came to Camelot, we knew one of us was going to die in order to save that prat. And I'm not letting it be you."

"Merlin, no-"

"You're my little sister." Merlin cut me off as a tear slid down my cheek. "It's my job to protect you. I'm not going to let you die when you still have so much to live for."

"And what about you?" I asked. "What, you don't have anything to live for? What about Gwen?" I spat out. "What about Gaius? What about _me_?!"

"Anna, you heard what Gaius said! In order to save a life, a life has to be taken. We can't offer anyone else's life, and I'm not letting you offer yours. Your destiny isn't even close to fulfilling yet. But mine is already over."

"Merlin, I can't lose you." I said quietly, and he sighed before pulling me into his arms as I tried to hold back the tears in my eyes.

"_I_ can't lose_ you_." He murmured, and another tear slid down my cheek. "Not to mention that I promised mother I will protect you before we left Ealdor. And I intend to keep that promise."

I stayed in my brother's arms for a few more minutes, before we eventually and reluctantly pulled away. I looked into Merlin's eyes and he gave me a small smile as he wiped a tear on my cheek with his thumb.

"Morgana needs you right now. After all, Arthur's like a brother to her." He said, and I nodded reluctantly. The thought of loosing my brother hurt me almost more than anything, but if this was the only way to save Arthur and Merlin won't let me do anything... The least I can do is listen to him. "Take are of Gwen for me, hmm?" He asked as a tear slid down his cheek and I nodded, wrapping my arms around his neck one more time.

"Merlin, please, I beg you." I whispered, a few more tears escaping my eyes.

"I'm sorry."


	74. Le Morte d'Arthur

**I hope you all like this chapter!**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I sniffled quietly before taking a deep breath in order to prevent myself from showing any weakness as I helped Merlin saddle a horse he will be taking for his journey to the Isle of the Blessed.

"Here." Gaius said as he approached us, handing Merlin a scroll of parchment. "You'll need a map." My brother quickly unrolled the map, giving it a quick glance, before nodding thankfully and putting it in his bag. "And I'm going to give you this." Gaius said, holding out a very small, dark brown package to Merlin. I stepped closer to the two of them as Gaius looked at Merlin with soft, fatherly eyes while he unwrapped the package. "My mother gave it to me." I looked down at the small object in Merlin's hand. "It's a rabbit's foot."

"For protection." I nodded as I frowned sadly, before quickly lightening up a bit to keep up the appearances.

"It was said to protect you from evil spirits." Gaius nodded, before grimacing slightly. "It's rubbish. I don't believe in superstition. I don't know why I gave it to you." He tried to take it back, but Merlin quickly pulled his hands back.

"No." He said, and I could see that this was the kind of moment my brother always wanted to have with our father... If we ever knew who he is. "I want it." Merlin said, before giving Gaius a small, soft smile, his eyes glistening ever so slightly. "Thank you." He said, putting the rabbit's foot in his bag, before releasing a breath. "You've got to keep Arthur alive until I get back." Merlin said, about to get on his horse, but I pulled him back and wrapped my arms around my neck, feeling the tears I desperately tried to hold back prickle my eyes. I heard Merlin release a soft sigh as he wrapped his arms around me tightly.

"I love you." I murmured as I pulled away, and my brother smiled at me sadly before leaning in to kiss my forehead.

"I love you, too."

*Evening*

I quietly opened the door to Arthur's chambers and proceeded to enter, but stopped quickly as I saw Gaius snoring in the chair beside Arthur's bed, where the unconscious Prince lied. I sighed softly, before knocking on the door, making Gaius jerk away.

"You should get some rest, Gaius." I said as I closed the door behind me, before walking over to my guardian and placing my hand on his shoulder.

"He must not be left alone." Gaius explained, referring to Arthur, and I nodded understandingly.

"I'll stay with him." I offered, and Gaius gave me a thankful nod before getting up from the chair. He then proceeded to walk out, but stopped and placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly, knowing how much Merlin's decision effected me. I gave him a small smile in thanks, before bringing my gaze to Arthur as Gaius left the chambers quietly.

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

As soon as the Court Physician shut the doors behind him, Annabelle took the towel off of Prince Arthur's forehead, before rinsing it out in a bucket of water by the foot of the bed. She then sat down on the bed beside the pale and sweaty Arthur, and reached over, gently wiping his forehead.

"You're not going to die, Arthur." She said determinedly as she started to wipe Arthur's neck. "I know you won't. Because I know that one day... You will be King." She said the last part softly, gently wiping his chest and the area around his wound. "A greater king than your father could ever be." Annabelle then put her hand down, holding the towel in her lap, as she looked at the unconscious Prince. "It's what keeps me going. I know that you are going to live to be the man I have always seen inside you. I can see a Camelot that is fair and just. I can see a king whom people will love and be proud to call their sovereign." She spoke softly as she grabbed his limp and cold hand. "For the love of Camelot... You _have_ to live." She then let the towel lay in her lap as she grabbed Arthur's hand with both of hers and brought it up to her lips. "Please... Live for me." She whispered, before placing a light kiss on his knuckles.

* * *

*The Next Day, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

I looked up sharply as I came out of my and Merlin's room after freshening up a bit, since I stayed in Arthur's chambers the entire night, hearing the door to Gaius's chambers open.

"Merlin!" Both Gaius and I exclaimed, as my brother took out a big, silver vial in a shape of a horn with astonishing engravings, breathing heavily.

"We need to give this to Arthur." He said, and Gaius looked down at the vial as I walked over to the two of them.

"What is this?" I asked as Gaius took it from Merlin.

"Water drawn from the Cup of Life." My brother replied, still panting. "If Arthur drinks from it, he will recover." He explained, before putting his hand on Gaius's shoulder and pushing the physician towards the door. "Please, hurry." Gaius began to quickly make his way towards the door, but stopped abruptly. "What are you waiting for?" Merlin asked.

Gaius turned around to face us, and looked at Merlin with a serious and slightly frightened look.

"What price did you pay to redeem his life?" He asked sharply. "Whose life did you bargain?"

"We don't have time." My brother simply said as he walked past Gaius. My eyes widened.

"Merlin!" I exclaimed, and he turned around to look at me with an urgent look on his face.

"Don't worry, Anna!" He exclaimed, still breathing heavily. "Everything's going to be alright." He then quickly headed out the door, and Gaius and I had no other choice but to follow.

* * *

*5 Minutes Later, Third Person's P.O.V.*

Annabelle held Prince Arthur's head on her lap gently as she sat on his bed, while Gaius poured the water from the Cup of Life into his mouth.

"What are you doing, Physician?" Came a voice from the door, making the three jump slightly as the looked up, only to see King Uther in the doorway. "What are you giving him?"

"It's a..." Gaius trialed off as he looked back at Merlin and Annabelle, before looking back at the King. "It's a tincture made from the lobelia plant... An ancient remedy for poisonous bites."

"A cure?" Uther asked as he stepped forward.

"We hope." Gaius replied, and Annabelle looked down at Arthur's pale but peaceful face.

"Do you really think it will have some effect?" The King asked hopefully as he walked over to the three of them.

"It's our last resort, Sire." Annabelle replied softly, and Gaius nodded before turning back to the unconscious Prince and the rest of the water into his mouth. Arthur, using the last of his strength, swallowed it, as Gaius looked up at the King, who was staring at his son.

"Perhaps you should allow him to rest."

"I will not leave him." Uther protested, though he kept his gaze on Arthur all the time. Annabelle couldn't help but allow the corners of her mouth to turn upward. He really does care for his son, she thought.

Gaius nodded, and he and Merlin bowed to the King as Annabelle slowly got off the bed, gently placing Arthur's head back on the pillow, before curtsying and leaving the chambers, while Uther sat down int he chair beside his unconscious son.

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

Gaius looked back at Merlin as soon as we entered the nearest hallway, and Merlin nodded before we started walking down the corridor to our left, with me following behind them. However, I only made it a few meters before a hand suddenly grabbed my right arm and pulled me into an alcove. I gasped, before relaxing as I saw it was Morgana, but my brows furrowed in confusion as I saw the distraught look in her eyes.

"Morgana, what's wrong?"

"Please, Anna, you must beware." She pleaded, and warned at the same time, though she seemed to be in a trance-like state. "This is only the beginning."

*Evening*

Merlin paced in Gaius's quarters, while I tapped my fingers on the table nervously as I sat on a bench with my chin resting on my hand. We both looked up as we heard Gaius enter, and I immediately stood up as Merlin stopped pacing and faced our guardian.

"The Prince lives." Gaius announced, and a smile made its way to my lips as I breathed a sigh of relief, while Merlin grinned hugely, breathing a sigh of relief before pulling me into a hug. I hugged him back tightly, knowing that even though the man I love is alive, my brother will be dead by dawn.

*20 Minutes Later*

I entered Arthur's chambers just as the King walked out, carrying the towels I grabbed from the laundry, taking a duty off of Merlin's shoulders as he went to see Gwen for the last time. I smiled a small smile as I saw Arthur lying in his bed with his eyes closed. He was still weak and pale, but he was alive. I quietly put the towels down on a small table by his bed and looked at him for a second, before he opened his eyes and looked over at me.

"Oh, thank God." I breathed out, and a small smile appeared on Arthur's lips.

"You can't get rid of me that easily." He joked weakly, and I chuckled in relief before turning around to grab the towels again. "I can remember you talking to me." He said, and I instantly froze, though I made sure my posture wasn't tense.

"You can?" I asked, playing it nonchalant.

"You stroked my forehead."

"I was tending to your fever." I looked back at him with a small smile, before turning back around to put the towels in his drawer.

"You never lost faith." Arthur pondered, and I shook my head, though a small smile made its way onto my lips.

"I was just talking."

"Tell me again what you said?" Arthur asked, and I could hear the amusement in his voice; he was enjoying teasing me.

"I don't remember." I lied smoothly, not giving him the satisfaction of making me embarrassed.

"Yes, you do." He said, and I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"No, I don't."

"Come on." Arthur pressed with a smirk. "Something about... The man I am inside." I sighed, before turning around to look at him with a small smirk.

"I'm afraid I never said that." I shook my head, my voice a bit teasing.

"Annabelle."

"I have to get back to Merlin." I said, before giving him a smile and heading towards the door. Though, as I grabbed the knob, I looked back at him. "I'm glad you're alright."

* * *

*Third Person's P.O.V.*

Annabelle then made her way out the door, and Prince Arthur's lips twisted into a soft smile as he replayed what she said to him while he was unconscious. The words she spoke to him gave him hope. Perhaps, just perhaps, she has some feelings for him.

* * *

*1 Hour Later, Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Merlin?" I asked as I entered our room after making sure Morgana was comfortable in her chambers. My brother was sitting on his bed, looking quite nervous and distraught as the rabbit foot rested in his hand.

"Hey." He smiled a small smile, and I returned it before walking over to sit next to him.

"You sacrificed yourself so that Arthur could live, didn't you?" I asked, and he looked at me for a moment before releasing a sigh and nodded. Tears filled up my eyes, but I held them back and swallowed the lump in my throat. "Does Gwen know?" I asked, my voice strained.

"No." Merlin answered, and I nodded, before taking a deep breath to prevent myself from letting the tears in my eyes fall. "I'm sorry."

"Do't be." I said, shaking my head. "You saved Arthur's life. You fulfilled your destiny." He smiled at me as his eyes glistened ever so slightly, and took my hand in his for a second, before pulling me into his arms. "Can I stay with you tonight?" I asked, a memory of how I used to ask him the same thing when we were younger and I had a nightmare coming back to haunt me.

"Of course." He smiled into my hair, before lying down on his bed close to the wall, allowing me to take up the rest of the space, lying my head on his chest as his arms closed around me, one of his hands still clutching the rabbit foot.

*The Next Day*

My eyes fluttered open as I stirred awake, my head still resting on Merlin's chest. To my surprise, his eyes opened, and I looked at him in disbelief before hugging him tightly.

"You're alive." I whispered in shock, and he nodded with a smile, before quickly getting up, with me following suit, and running out of our room.

"Gaius!" He called. "I'm alive!" However, we both stopped as we saw Gaius kneeling down by someone on the floor. "What is it?"

"What happened?" I asked.

"Merlin, Annabelle, stay there." Gaius ordered, not turning around to look at us, but we didn't listen.

"What's wrong?" I asked as we continued walking toward him and the person. Noticing that Gaius is very tense and realizing that something bad must have happened, the two of us quickly walked over to him.

"No, don't!" Gaius warned, but it was too late.

My eyes widened as I saw it was Mother on the floor, covered in sores and struggling to breathe.

"Mother!" Merlin and I exclaimed, immediately dropping to our knees beside her.

"Annabelle." She said quietly, struggling to do even that. "Merlin."

"What's happened to her?" I asked, not looking up.

"She's gravely ill." Gaius replied.

"Do something!" Merlin exclaimed.

"If only I could!"

"Please, Gaius!" I pleaded.

"This is no ordinary illness." Gaius said.

"This cannot happen." Merlin said, more to himself than to us.

"Who did you meet at the Isle of the Blessed?" Gaius asked.

"Nimueh."

"Nimueh?" Both Gaius and I asked, not believing what we were hearing. Nimueh is the sorceress who first sent the Afanc to poison Camelot's water supply, and then tried to kill Merlin by poisoning a chalice.

"It was as you said, Gaius. She demanded a price, but I bargained my life, not our mother's."

"Merlin." Gaius sighed heavily, and tears filled my eyes as I cradled my dying mother's head in my lap. This cannot happen. First, my brother died (for a moment), than Arthur was bitten by the Questing Beast, then my brother gave up his life, and now my mother is dying. "I wish there was something I could do."

"I will make you better." Merlin promised as he grabbed our mother's hand. "I will."

*10 Minutes Later*

Merlin and I quickly ran down the stone stairway, with Merlin carrying a lit torch, before entering the Dragon's cave.

"You knew this would happen!" Merlin yelled accusingly at the Dragon, who seemed to be waiting for us. "You had me trade my mother's life for Arthur's!"

"Annabelle said you would do anything." The Dragon said.

"Did you know our mother would die?" I asked shakily, not wanting to believe that the Dragon betrayed us like this.

"I knew the price would be a heavy one."

"And yet you sent him anyway." I said in disbelief.

"We need Arthur to live." The Dragon said.

"We're not like you!" I yelled angrily.

"We are all creatures of the Old Religion. It is the source of your powers."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Your destinies are to protect the young Pendragon, and lead him down the right path, until he claims his crown and you, Annabelle, sit on the throne beside him." The Dragon said. "And when he does, magic can be returned to the realm. Only then, will I be free." He said, and I scoffed in disbelief.

"So that's what you cared about?" I sneered. "I though you were our friend."

"I am more than that, Annabelle. I am your kin."

"No. The only family we have, is our mother, and you had Merlin murder her." I growled.

"Her life has not been taken in vain. We will achieve great things together. You two and I."

"YOU WILL NEVER BE RELEASED!" I screamed, the anger and hurt finally taking over. "For what you've done..." I growled with tears in my eyes. "I'll make sure you never see the light."

As soon as I said that, Merlin and I turned around, proceeding to head back.

"ANNABELLE!" The Dragon yelled in fury, making me whip around as he stood on his hind legs.

"Gescildan!" I yelled and raised my arm in order to create an invisible shield, just as the Dragon breathed fire on us. The flames hit the shield, thankfully not harming me and my brother. As soon as the Dragon stopped, I dropped my arm.

"You. Won't see us. Again." Merlin growled, and then we both left, wanting to tend to our mother while we still could.


	75. The Greatest Sorceress Ever

**Here is the last chapter of this story. I hope you all like it!**

* * *

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

"Where is she?" I asked Gaius as Merlin opened the door to the Physician's quarters. Gaius, who was sitting on a bench, glanced back at the door to my and Merlin's room, and then looked back at us.

"She's sleeping." He answered, and I nodded and walked over to sit in front of him while Merlin closed the door, before slowly walking over to us and sitting on a stool next to me. There was a moment of silence, before my brother finally took a deep breath and looked up, tears glistening in his eyes.

"I have to save her." He whispered brokenly, and I grabbed his hand comfortingly, feeling the same pain he felt swell in my chest.

"You cannot." Gaius said quietly, making me look at him, but Merlin avoided our gazes.

"If the balance of the world needs a life, then Nimueh must take mine." Merlin said determinedly, and tears built up in my eyes.

"No, Merlin." I said, my voice cracking slightly, which made him look over at me sadly and squeeze my hand.

"Yes. I will return to the island." He said and stood up, but Gaius and I both grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"You are young." Gaius said. "Your gifts, your destiny are far too precious to sacrifice."

"My destiny?" Merlin scoffed weakly. "This is my mother. Besides, Anna has even greater powers than me. They will continue to grow, and Camelot will be safe, as will our mother." Merlin said, and I shook my head sadly.

"But my powers are nothing without you by my side." I said, a tear escaping my eye. "Nimueh knows that. That is why she tried to kill you, remember? In order to defeat us both, she only needs to kill one. Mother won't be able to live even if you save her, because she will be broken when she looses you."

"Anna... Mother sent us here for a reason; so that we could develop our gifts and learn how to control them. But those powers mean nothing if I can't save her." Merlin said, before bringing his gaze onto Gaius. "You have taught us so much. Taught us who we are. Taught me and Anna the purpose for our skills. Taught us that magic should only be used for great deeds. But most of all, you have always taught us... To do what is right." By now, a few more tears escaped my eyes as Gaius closed his eyes briefly, looking down, before taking a deep breath and looking up at my brother.

"Merlin." He whispered brokenly, and I wiped my tears away quickly as more threatened to fall. After a short moment of silence, Merlin looked down and sniffled, putting his hand over his eyes as the other one held mine. I squeezed his hand in comfort, before putting an arm around his shoulders and kissing the side of his head as tears escaped both his and my eyes.

"I need to say goodbye to Arthur." Merlin said after a moment, and I nodded understandingly as I let go of him and let him stand up, watching him leave. As soon as the doors closed, I released a shaky breath and put a hand over my stomach, as if that could stop the pain in my chest. Before I could stop myself, a sob escaped my lips and I immediately covered my mouth with my hand as more tears trickled down my cheeks. Gaius then stood up and walked over in order to sit next to me and pull me into his arms, kissing my head in a fatherly way.

"I can't loose him, Gaius." I whispered, my voice cracking, as I tried to get a hold of myself. But I couldn't. Merlin is my brother, and if he died... I would too.

*15 Minutes Later*

I held my mother's sore-covered hand in both of mine as she slept in my bed, and concentrated on not letting any more tears fall. After a few minutes of Gaius comforting me, I finally managed to calm down, and he left to get some supplies just as Gwen came in. He asked her to help me look after my mother, but I knew he was just hesitant to leave me alone in a moment like this. And I didn't blame him. After all, I'm slowly falling apart; Arthur nearly died, my mother is on her deathbed right now, and my brother will be dead within a few hours... All the people I love are slipping away.

"Anna, are you alright?" Gwen whispered, concerned, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I'm fine." I lied. "I just got a few things on my mind." Gwen nodded understandingly, before looking down at my mother as her hoarse breathing wavered slightly.

"I'm sorry." She said suddenly, surprising me.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" I asked, and Gwen just simply shook her head before looking me in the eyes.

"I know how hard this must be for you. First Arthur, and now your mother, all in a such short period of time." I smiled at my brother's love's caring nature, and opened my mouth to reply, but was cut off by the door to my and Merlin's room opening, revealing my brother himself, who looked at Gwen questioningly, wondering why she was here but seeming pleased that she was. "Gaius had to go and get some supplies." She explained. "He asked me to stay with Anna in order to keep an eye on your mother until you got back."

"Thank you." Merlin said with a small smile, and Gwen nodded as we all looked at Mother, before standing up and walking over to Merlin.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"No, she'll get better." Merlin shook his head, and I immediately looked away. Gwen though, obviously, didn't know what Merlin really meant and only thought he was in denial.

"We've tried to make her feel comfortable." She said, looking at Merlin sadly, before looking back to Mother.

"You have such a good heart, Gwen." Merlin said, grabbing her hand gently. "Don't ever lose that." He said softly as she turned to look at him. She looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, looking slightly confused and concerned, but nodded nonetheless. She then looked at me, giving me small smile, and then kissed Merlin on the cheek before leaving the room. As soon as she did so, Merlin walked over to take her place on our mother's other side, and grabbed her other hand.

"I'm going to make you well again." He said quietly as Mother opened her eyes to look at him. "I promise. You'll see." He smiled a small smile, and I forced my tears back in order to give one of my own.

"You're such a good son." Mother said quietly, forcing herself to speak, even though it definitely pained her, as she smiled, before turning her head to look at me. "And I couldn't ask for a better daughter."

"But I don't want you to worry about me, alright?" Merlin said softly as he let go of her hand in order to stroke her hair. "I know that the gods will look over me and that one day... I will see you again." I swallowed hard at that, but forced myself to keep my expression emotionless.

"I will miss you." Mother said, and I took a deep breath as there was a moment of silence.

"I'll miss you too." Merlin said, before taking out the rabbit's foot Gaius gave him and putting it in Mother's hand gently. I looked up at him sadly, and he returned the look as the three of us spent the last hours together.

* * *

*The Next Day, Third person's P.O.V.*

Annabelle followed Merlin out of their room as he held a bag in his hands and started packing for his last journey.

"Gaius?" He asked, looking around, but both of the siblings' brows furrowed as they didn't see the elder man anywhere. Annabelle looked around, and her eyes fell on a piece of paper on one of the tables in the Physician's quarters that had their names written on it.

"Merlin." Annabelle called, and took a few steps forward, picking the folded piece of paper up as her brother followed her over to the table. He stood behind her in order to read over her shoulder, as she unfolded the paper and read it as well.

_Dear Merlin and Annabelle,_

_ My life is already near to its end. There has, for the most part, been very little purpose to it. Very little that will be remembered. In contrast, Merlin, your life is destined for greatness, as is yours, Annabelle. Live by the tenets I have taught you, Anna, and I believe you will in time become the greatest sorceress ever. To have known you both has been my greatest pleasure. And to sacrifice myself for you, Merlin, is but an honor. You are, and always will be, the children I never had._

"No!" Merlin yelled in horror as soon as they finished reading the letter, and Annabelle's eyes widened as she realized that Gaius is willing to sacrifice himself in order to spare her the pain of loosing her brother.

As quickly as they could, the two siblings ran through the castle and into the stables, mounting the nearest horses and galloping out of Camelot, as the Lady Morgana watched from her window, feeling fear rise up in her chest as she remembered her nightmare.

*20 Minutes Later*

As Merlin and Annabelle galloped through the woods, Gaius stood in front of Nimueh at the Isle of the Blessed.

"Why should I grant your wish?" Nimueh asked after Gaius explained that he wished for her to take his life instead of Merlin's. "You stood and watched as our friends burned in the Great Purge. You are nothing but a traitor."

"Annabelle is the one person who can bring magic back to this land. At Arthur's side, she can help forge a new kingdom. A world of peace and beauty that we can only dream of." Gaius said as Nimueh slowly stepped towards him. "But she won't have the strength to do so if her brother is dead."

"And you're willing to give your life, Gaius, for the future they will bring?" Nimueh asked, but Gaius said nothing. "I'm waiting. Are you ready to die, Gaius?" There was another moment of silence as Gaius stared at Nimueh, while she stepped closer to him with a smile on her face. "Gaius?"

"For Merlin and Annabelle... I will give my life." He finally answered.

Merlin and Annabelle, after what seemed like eternity, finally arrived at the Isle of the Blessed, just as Nimueh chanted,

"Ic, séo héahsácerd, þe ácwile strengþe ealdan æwfæstnesse!" She called as she held the Cup of Life, standing above Gaius, who was slumped against the altar in the middle of the ruins, the cup raised above her head.

"Stop!" Both Merlin and Annabelle yelled as they ran over to stand in front of her. Nimueh turned her head to look at the two, and Annabelle took a deep breath as she saw the same woman who was glaring at her from across the room while the peace treaty between Camelot and Mercia was being signed many months ago.

"Back again so soon, Warlock?" Nimueh asked as she stepped over the unconscious Gaius, before her eyes fell onto Annabelle. "And you've brought your sister with you this time."

"What have you done?" Merlin asked as he and Annabelle stepped forward, while Nimueh placed the Cup of Life on the stone altar.

"Your mother is sick. Isn't that what you wanted?" She asked as she took steps towards the two magicians.

"Have you killed him?" Annabelle asked, speaking up for the first time.

"It was his wish." Nimueh simply replied, and Merlin looked away for a few seconds as tears built up in his eyes, while Annabelle took a deep breath to refrain herself from showing any emotion as her eyes landed on the limp body behind Nimueh.

"I BID _MY_ LIFE FOR ARTHUR'S! NOT MY MOTHER'S! NOT GAIUS'S!" Merlin yelled angrily.

"The Old Religion does not care who lives and who dies!" Nimueh yelled. "Only that the balance of the world is restored. To save a life, a life must be taken. Gaius knew this." She said as she glanced back at the unconscious Gaius.

"It is not the Old Religion that has done this! It is you." Annabelle said angrily.

"Come now." Nimueh suddenly smiled as she looked at the young sorceress. "We are too valuable to each other to be enemies."

"NO, WE SHARE NOTHING WITH YOU!" Annabelle yelled, the pain and anger of loosing Gaius and the fear of loosing anyone else she loves twisting her heart painfully.

"With my help, Arthur will become King!" Nimueh said.

"_We_ will make Arthur King. But you will never see that day." Merlin said, before holding out his hand with his palm opened in Nimueh's direction. "Ástríce!" He called, and a shot of bright fire emerged from his palm, shooting towards Nimueh. However, Nimueh held up her own hand and easily absorbed his attack.

"Your childish tricks are useless against me, Merlin." She smirked as she started to rotate her open palm in a circle, sparks of fire hissing out of it. "I am a priestess of the Old Religion." She said, as a ball of fire formed in her hand. "Forbærne!" She sent the fireball towards the two magic users, and they quickly jumped out of the way, throwing themselves to the ground as the fireball hit the pillar behind them, breaking it down into crumples as chunks of stone exploded into different directions.

Annabelle and Merlin looked up at Nimueh as she took few steps forward, and stood up as another ball of fire formed in her hand.

"You, too, are creature of the Old Religion, Annabelle." Nimueh spoke calmly with a smirk on her lips. "Your powers are so much greater than your brother's! You cannot let them go to waste. You should join me."

"You think I would join forces with such a selfish and cruel magic?" Annabelle scoffed as she stared at Nimueh. "Never."

"So be it." Nimueh said calmly. "Ácwele." She sent the fireball once again, but this time, she was aiming only for Annabelle. The young sorceress did not have time to react this time, and the fireball hit her in the chest, sending her flying back a few meters before she fell down with a groan as smoke rose from the place on her chest where she was burned.

"NO!" Merlin yelled, and started running towards his sister, but was thrown back against a pillar with a flick of Nimueh's wrist.

Nimueh smirked as she watched the Warlock fall tot he ground, unconscious, before she took a few steps towards Annabelle and stood above her, looking down at the sorceress.

"Pity." She mused. "Together, we could've ruled the world." She said, before turning around and heading back to the altar. However, she didn't see Annabelle's eyes snap open. As she felt power surge through her, Annabelle stood up, staring at Nimueh's back with passionate anger in her eyes.

"You should not have harmed the people I love." She said, and Nimueh turned around upon hearing her voice, looking quite impressed that Annabelle survived such a powerful spell. Annabelle then looked up and raised her hand with her palm open, and suddenly dark clouds with lightning cutting through them with a loud noise swirled in the sky, just as Merlin stirred back into consciousness and slowly made his way back to his feet. But neither of the women noticed him, as they both stared up at the dark sky.

Annabelle then brought her hand down, and following her palm came lightning, which hit Nimueh. The lightning hit the priestess of the Old Religion many more times as Annabelle slowly dropped her hand and Merlin stared at the scene before him with wide eyes. After a long moment of being struck by lightning, Nimueh exploded into many pieces, and Annabelle and Merlin both covered their faces as the lightning shot out an immensely bright light, before ceasing.

As soon as it was over, Merlin and Annabelle both ran over to Gaius, just as rain started pouring down on them. The two siblings dropped down on either sides of the Physician, and looked down at him with tears in their eyes.

"Gaius!" Annabelle exclaimed. "Gaius!" She cried.

"NO!" Merlin yelled as he cradled the limp Gaius in his arms. "NO!" Annabelle lowered her head onto Gaius's shoulder, and cried as rain poured down even harder, seeming to reflect her emotions.

"Annabelle. Merlin." Came an incredibly quiet whisper, and the two immediately looked at Gaius, whose eyes slowly opened. "Annabelle. Merlin."

"Gaius." Annabelle cried, not believing her eyes.

"Gaius." Merlin gasped, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"You're alive!" Annabelle cried, leaping down to hug the man, Merlin following suit.

After a moment, the two pulled away with smiles on their faces as Gaius looked at them.

"What did you do?" he asked, and Annabelle shook her head with a smile.

"Nimueh's dead." She said, before realization dawned on her. "The balance of the world has been restored."

"You amaze me." Gaius said weakly. "You've mastered the power of life and death itself. We'll make a great sorceress of you yet."

"So you believe in us now?" Merlin asked with a grin.

"Well, I would if... If... If you could... Stop this blasted rain." Gaius groaned as he closed his eyes so that the raindrops wouldn't get in them, and Merlin and Annabelle laughed in relief and happiness, as did Gaius.

*Back in Camelot*

"ANNABELLE!" The Great Dragon roared in his cave. "NO!" He roared angrily, just as Morgana woke up from another nightmare.

This isn't over yet. This is just the beginning.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	76. THE END

Well, this is it. This story is officially finished. Thank you all so much for your support, and for sharing this amazing experience with me. Now, I know that Annabelle seems a bit too perfect, but I planned the story that way. I wanted her to be perfect in the very beginning, because I want you to see the changes in her after everything she's been through so far, and later on as well. Also, I know that Annabelle was doing most of the saving in this book, but I intended the first book to describe her powers and destiny, as well as establish her relationships with the people of Camelot, so it was more of a "Annabelle's destiny is to save Camelot, so let's show how and why" thing. However, as we get into season 2, the story will mostly concentrate on the romance, and Arthur and Merlin will leave Camelot more often, which also means that Merlin will get the spotlight a lot more often.

I will continue this series (I should be able to post the sequel tomorrow), but before I do I would like you all to leave reviews of what you think of the entire story, not just the last chapter. Also, please tell me if you actually WANT a sequel, or if it would just be a waste of time.

Thank you all so much! Please leave your thoughts on this story in the reviews!


	77. SEQUEL

The sequel to this story is now up! It's called "You Can't Escape Destiny". I'm really excited for that one, 'cause season 2 is my favorite. I hope you all are at least half as excited as I am. Please don't forget to review and tell me what you think of the sequel so far!


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